Free Guided Walk: Phoenix Row Walk
2025-07-02 10:30 (Europe/London) | Outside the Former Methodist Chapel, Phoenix Row, Phoenix Row, Witton Park, DL14 0DF, United Kingdom
This walk will meet at Phoenix Row near the farthest western point of the line. Walking up the Etherley incline, you will get a flavour of the rural nature of the Early S&DR and the scale of the earthworks required to provide a straight route to Shildon.
The walk is 2.4 miles and involves some gradients and walking along footpaths.

July 2025 Members Meeting
2025-07-03 19:00 - 21:00 | Darlington Cricket Club, THE CLUB HOUSE Feethams South Terrace, Darlington, DL1 5JD, United Kingdom
Our July 2025 members meeting will take place at Darlington Cricket Club on Thursday 3rd July starting at 7pm.
Papers will be circulated to members in advance of the meeting.

Free Guided Walk: Why the Railway came to Darlington (daytime walk)
2025-07-05 10:30 - 12:00, 2025-07-12 10:30 - 12:30, 2025-08-28 10:30 - 12:00, 2025-08-31 10:30 - 12:00 | Darlington Market Place Circular Benches by entrance to St Cuthbert’s Churchyard what3words ///deputy.pies.doing, Church Lane, Darlington, DL1 5QD
Why the Railway came to Darlington (daytime walk)
Darlington Town Centre to Hopetown Railway Visitor Attraction.
1.5 miles (2.5 km), 1 hour 30 minutes. Mostly on pavements. Maximum group size 12. No dogs (except guide dogs). Easy to Moderate.
We will visit some of the key sites and learn about some of the people behind the birth of the world’s first passenger railway, the Stockton & Darlington Railway, which is 200 years old in September 2025.
The walk explores the origins and early years of the Railway including some significant buildings. We will also see how central Darlington has changed since 1825.
At the end of the walk you can choose to learn more about the development of the railway at the Hopetown visitor attraction (free ticketed entry). If you would like us to book this for you, please indicate using the notes field on the registration form when registering attendees.
Don’t miss this opportunity to get some exercise while discovering the rich history of the area!
This is a ticketed event and requires the registration form completing for each person attending by pressing the book this event button and following the instructions on the form:

Free Guided Walk: S&DR Yarm Branchline Circular Walk
2025-07-09 10:30 - 12:30 | Allen’s West Station, Eaglescliffe, TS16 0FE
A circular walk along the original S&DR Yarm Branch Line from Allen’s West Station into Yarm, returning via Yarm Road & footbridge across the original Leeds Northern Line.
Meet at Allen’s West Station for 10:30am.
Distance about 3.5 miles.
Terrain is a mixture of paved and gravel paths.

Free Guided Walk: Why the Railway came to Darlington (evening walk)
2025-07-10 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-08-06 19:00 - 20:30 | Darlington Market Place Circular Benches by entrance to St Cuthbert’s Churchyard what3words ///deputy.pies.doing, Church Lane, Darlington, DL1 5QD
Why the Railway came to Darlington (evening walk)
Darlington Town Centre to the Railway Tavern
1.5 miles (2.5 km), 1 hour 30 minutes. Mostly on pavements. Maximum group size 12. No dogs (except guide dogs). Evening walk only, in the late spring / summer. Easy to Moderate.
We will visit some of the key sites and learn about some of the people behind the birth of the world’s first passenger railway, the Stockton & Darlington Railway, which is 200 years old in September 2025.
The walk explores the origins and early years of the Railway including some significant buildings. We will also see how central Darlington has changed since 1825.
The walk ends with a chance for a drink in the Railway Tavern – the oldest continually operating railway inn in the world.
Don’t miss this opportunity to get some exercise (and a drink!) while discovering the rich history of the area!
This is a ticketed event and requires the registration form completing for each person attending by pressing the book this event button and following the instructions on the form:

Free Guided Walk: Stockton Circular
2025-07-16 10:30 - 12:30, 2025-08-20 10:30 - 12:30 | Stockton Town Hall, High Street, Stockton-On-Tees, TS20 1DR
Meet at Stockton Town Hall at 10.30 am visiting various locations connected with the S&DR in 1825, the extension of the S&DR across the River Tees in 1830 and the arrival of the Leeds Northern Railway (LNR) in 1852.

Free Guided Walk: Gaunless Bridge Walk
2025-07-16 10:30 - 13:30 | Car Park in front of Well Cafe, 46 East Green, West Auckland, DL14 9HJ, United Kingdom
Meeting outside the Well Cafe in West Auckland, this walk will cover the original site of the Gaunless Bridge before following the S&DR over the inclines to Shildon to see the preserved bridge, with a stop at Broom Mill Cafe.6.4 miles, some moderate gradients and stiles.

Free Talk: Teesdale Tracks and Derailing Dukes
2025-07-16 19:00 | Shildon Railway Institute, Shildon, DL4 2JJ, United Kingdom
This is a ticketed event and requires the registration form completing for each person attending by pressing the book this event button and following the instructions on the form:

Free Guided Walk: The Fighting Cocks Line
2025-07-20 11:15 - 14:30, 2025-08-23 11:15 - 14:30 | entrance to Middleton St George Play Park and Field ///validated.unwind.expert, Station Road, Middleton St George, DL2 1JD, United Kingdom
The Fighting Cocks Line
Middleton St George to Darlington
5.5 miles (8.5 km), 3 hours 15 mins Maximum group size 20. Mostly along off-road paths. Dogs on leads (this is a shared use route on the National Cycling Network). Moderate (level gradient but stamina required). Stout footwear recommended.
This walk follows the trackbed of an original section of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, looking at the development of railway infrastructure and the industries which grew up along the line.
The walk begins in Middleton St George village and ends at the Hopetown Railway Visitor Attraction, next to North Road station in Darlington.
This is a ticketed event and requires the registration form completing for each person attending by pressing the book this event button and following the instructions on the form:

Free Guided Walk: Eaglescliffe Station to St. John’s Crossing & coal staithes,
2025-07-23 10:30 - 12:30 | Eaglescliffe Station
A linear walk from Eaglescliffe Station to St. John’s Crossing & coal staithes, Stockton via Preston Park & Yarm Road curve.
Meet at Eaglescliffe Station for 10:30am.
Distance about 4 miles.
Terrain is a mixture of paved and gravel paths.

Darlington Folk Club - A History of the Railways in Folk Music
2025-07-24 19:45 - 22:00 | Darlington Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Longfield Road, Darlington, DL3 0HX
Through folk songs, the concert will take the audience from the opening of the S&DR to more recent Railway history from around the world. The concert will also feature Sam Slatcher who will sing songs from his recent album “Passengers and Pioneers” which was written when Sam was artist in residence with the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

For more information and booking, please visit the Darlington Folk Club website:

https://www.darlofolkacoustic.co.uk/events

or email:

darlofolkacousticclub@gmail.com

Free Guided Walk: Pease and Backhouse - the families who brought the S&DR to life
2025-07-25 10:30 - 12:00, 2025-08-09 10:30 - 12:00, 2025-08-16 10:30 - 12:00 | Darlington Market Place Circular Benches by entrance to St Cuthbert’s Churchyard what3words ///deputy.pies.doing, Church Lane, Darlington, DL1 5QD
Pease and Backhouse – an introduction to the families who brought the Stockton and Darlington Railway to life.
Darlington Town Centre and the Quaker burial ground.
1.5 miles (2 km), 1 hour 30 mins. Maximum group size 12. No dogs (except guide dogs). Very Easy.
In Darlington’s Quaker burial ground, many members of the Pease and Backhouse families are buried. These were the characters responsible for the development of the Stockton and Darlington Railway. We will explore their stories of the origins and early years of the Railway. We will meet some of these characters, and some of their interesting and colourful family members.
All of the walk takes place within Darlington town centre. There is a particular focus on the Quaker Burial ground where there are benches to sit on.
This is a ticketed event and requires the registration form completing for each person attending by pressing the book this event button and following the instructions on the form:

Guided Walk: Allen's West Station to Eaglescliffe Station, via Preston Park.
2025-07-30 10:30 - 12:00 | Allen’s West Station, Eaglescliffe, TS16 0FE
A linear walk from Allen’s West Station to Eaglescliffe Station, via Preston Park.
Meet at Allen’s West Station for 10:30am.
Distance about 3 miles.
Terrain is a mixture of paved and gravel paths with a short path across a grassed area.

Free Guided Walk: Shildon Circular Walk
2025-07-30 10:30 - 13:30 | Locomotion, Shildon, Dale Road, Shildon, DL4 2RE, United Kingdom
This circular walk starts at Locomotion Museum and will take you through the rich railway history of Shildon. This includes sights such as Timothy Hackworth’s Home, Daniel Adamson’s Coach House, Brusselton Incline and Hackworth’s Grave. 6.4 miles moderate gradients and stiles.

Free Guided Walk: Why the Railway came to Darlington (daytime walk)
2025-08-02 10:30 - 12:00 | Darlington Market Place Circular Benches by entrance to St Cuthbert’s Churchyard what3words ///deputy.pies.doing, Church Lane, Darlington, DL1 5QD
Why the Railway came to Darlington (daytime walk)
Darlington Town Centre to Hopetown Railway Visitor Attraction.
1.5 miles (2.5 km), 1 hour 30 minutes. Mostly on pavements. Maximum group size 12. No dogs (except guide dogs). Easy to Moderate.
We will visit some of the key sites and learn about some of the people behind the birth of the world’s first passenger railway, the Stockton & Darlington Railway, which is 200 years old in September 2025.
The walk explores the origins and early years of the Railway including some significant buildings. We will also see how central Darlington has changed since 1825.
At the end of the walk you can choose to learn more about the development of the railway at the Hopetown visitor attraction (free entry).
Don’t miss this opportunity to get some exercise while discovering the rich history of the area!
This is a ticketed event and requires the registration form completing for each person attending by pressing the book this event button and following the instructions on the form:

Free Guided Walk; Heighington to Shildon
2025-08-06 09:50 - 12:00 | Heighington Station
This walk follows the S&DR from Heighington Station to Shildon Station and includes the worlds oldest railway station. 3.5 miles, easy gradients.

Free Guided Walk: Eaglescliffe Station to St. John’s Crossing via Site of 1830 S&DR Suspension Bridge & Preston Park.
2025-08-13 10:30 - 12:30 | Eaglescliffe Station
A linear walk from Eaglescliffe Station to St. John’s Crossing via Site of 1830 S&DR Suspension Bridge & Preston Park.
Meet at Eaglescliffe Station for 10:30am.
Distance about 4miles.
Terrain is a mixture of paved and gravel paths with a short walk next to the River Tees under the A66 and 2 railway bridges.

Free Guided Walk: Teesdale Railway Walk
2025-08-16 10:30 | Teesdale Leisure Centre Carpark, Teesdale Leisure Centre, Stathmore Road, Barnard Castle, DL12 8DS, United Kingdom
This approximately 4 mile circular walk takes you on a tour of the industrial past of this important rural market town. . It will explore how it became a transpennine railway hub after a long battle with the Duke of Cleveland for it to have a railway connection at all. Learn about how the railway affected the town’s industry, helped save lives and to become a holiday destination.
This is a ticketed event and requires the registration form completing for each person attending by pressing the book this event button and following the instructions on the form:

Free Guided Walk: Haggerleases Branchline
2025-08-20 10:30 - 14:30 | Outside the Manor House Hotel, West Auckland, Front Street The Green, West Auckland, DL14 9HW, United Kingdom
This walk follows the early Haggerleases Branchline of the S&DR. Easygoing. 8.2 miles. Refreshments available to purchase at conclusion.

Free Talk: Timothy Hackworth, the man who engineered a future for the locomotive
2025-08-20 19:00 | Shildon Railway Institute, Shildon, DL4 2JJ, United Kingdom
The delivery of power to the steam locomotive was the key to its adoption and success. What ends with the engineering accomplishments of Sir Nigel Gresley, started with the engineering achievements of Timothy Hackworth. His story includes the missed opportunity of his most powerful design, the markers he laid down for the Stockton and Darlington Railway before they were taken up by others and his unique contribution to the works at Shildon.
Mike Norman’s background in IT was at the forefront of the technology of the Information Revolution, and he now draws on that experience in defining the pioneering key developments of the steam locomotive. He is the author of ‘It Wasn’t Rocket Science’ – a biography of the life and times of Timothy Hackworth which, set during preparations for the 1893 Columbian Exposition held in Chicago, is told through the eyes of a grandson.

Teesdale Railway Exhibition at the Witham
2025-08-21 10:00 - 2025-09-08 16:00 | The Witham, 3 Horsemarket, Barnard Castle, DL12 8LY
The Teesdale History Group will be holding an exhibition at the Witham between the 21st August to the 8th September excluding Mondays between 10am-4pm featuring memorabilia, artwork, displays, presentations and a model railway exhibit.

Guided Walk: original S&DR Yarm Branch Line from Allen's West Station into Yarm
2025-08-27 10:30 - 12:30 | Allen’s West Station, Eaglescliffe, TS16 0FE
