This summer, the seaside is coming to Locomotion at Shildon in County Durham, where the museum has created a sandy beach where families can enjoy an action-packed summer of fun.

Thanks to the support of train operator Lumo, from Sunday, 2nd to Monday, 31st August, visitors can celebrate the exciting world of engineering, with the star attraction being the legendary London & North Eastern Railway A3 Class Flying Scotsman, which will be providing rides during its stay.

Also offering rides will be the replica of Stephenson’s Rocket and Locomotion’s Class 08 diesel shunter.

Tickets for rides behind Rocket and the Class 08 can be booked from the Welcome Desk on arrival, but Flying Scotsman tickets should be booked in advance here.

For those who want an even better experience, they can ride alongside the driver on Rocket’s footplate, but there are limited tickets available, and they must be booked in advance. Further details are online here.

Every week throughout the summer, Locomotion has new hands-on activities and special events, including LEGO building challenges, moving mechanical toys made from Meccano, racing car challenges, and making sculptures.

The beach is ideal for making sand castles, so children should bring their buckets and spades to imagine they are at the seaside.

There are also deck chairs where mum and dad can relax with an ice cream. Visitors should note that the beach closes at 4 pm, and it may close if the weather is bad.

“Locomotion’s summer festival gets bigger and better every year, and we’re delighted to be bringing it back for a third year. The pop-up beach is always one of the highlights of the festival, and it’s wonderful to see visitors of all ages coming together to enjoy it. The additional support from Lumo this year will make the offer even more exciting for families visiting Locomotion over the summer.”

Sarah Price, Head of Locomotion

“Locomotion is a brilliant North East attraction which offers an amazing, fun and free day out for all the family. As a company committed to celebrating many of the region’s cultural attractions, we’re proud to support the beach at Locomotion. It’s another fantastic reason for people to explore the North East this summer.”

Richard Salkeld, Director of Communications and Partnerships, Lumo