Free Guided Walk: North Road to Fighting Cocks
2025-09-03 10:30 - 14:30 (Europe/London) | North Road Station Entrance, Station Road, Darlington, DL3 6ST, United Kingdom
This walk starts outside Hopetown Museum and follows the former S&DR line to Fighting Cocks Station. Return by train from Dinsdale station to North Road Station. Easy gradients, 6 miles.

Free Guided Walk: Why the Railway came to Darlington (daytime walk)
2025-09-06 10:30 - 13:00 | 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 15. 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:

On Track Exhibition
2025-09-08 - 2025-10-16 | Darlington Crown Street Library, Crown Street, Darlington, DL1 1ND
An Exhibition celebrating S&DR200: The Art Gallery, Darlington Library, Crown Street DL1 1ND. 8th September to 16th October 2025. Open each Monday & Tuesday 9am to 6pm, Wednesday & Friday 9am to 5pm, Thursday 10am to 6pm and Saturday 9am to 4pm (Closed Sunday). The Exhibition by STITCH & CREATE has taken inspiration from the railways. Join us on our journey of imagination expressed through the world of embroidery & textiles.

Free Guided Walk: Why the Railway came to Darlington (daytime walk)
2025-09-10 10:30 - 12:00, 2025-09-21 10:30 - 12:00, 2025-09-25 10:30 - 12:00, 2025-10-02 10:30 - 12:00, 2026-04-06 10:30 | 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 (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:

Ticket to Teesdale Exhibition
2025-09-12 10:00 - 2025-09-30 15:00 | Fitzhugh Library, 1st Floor, 51 Market Place, Middleton in Teesdale, DL12 0QH
An Exhibition by the North Eastern Railway Association (NERA) of photographs’ accompanied by memorabilia, maps & documents from the Library. The Exhibition will open on Heritage Open Days: Friday 12th Tuesday-16th September 2025, 10am-3pm; will continue Mondays & Tuesdays through September 10.30am-2.30pm.

Railway Model Exhibition Middleton-in-Teesdale
2025-09-13 10:00 - 2025-09-14 16:00 | Middleton-in-Teesdale Masonic Hall, Horsemarket, Middleton-in-Teesdale, DL12 0SH
Middleton-in-Teesdale Railway Station will be displayed courtesy of the Cleveland Model Railway Club (20x5ft depicting the station when owned by the NER in the 1930’s/40’s) can be seen at the Masonic Hall, Horsemarket, Middleton-in-Teesdale DL12 0SH on Saturday 13th & Sunday 14th September 2025 10am – 4pm.

Free Guided Walk: Pease and Backhouse - the families who brought the S&DR to life
2025-09-13 10:30 - 13:00, 2025-09-24 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:

Free Guided Walk: Preston Park to St. Johns Crossing
2025-09-17 10:30 - 12:30 | Preston Park, Yarm Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 3RH
The next guided walk at the Stockton end of the line is on Wednesday 28 May. Meet in Preston Park (near Butterfly World) for 10:30am. for a 3 mile linear walk to St. John’s Crossing and 5 Railway Bridges in Stockton.

Terrain is a mixture of paved and gravel paths.

Free Guided Walk: Phoenix Row Walk
2025-09-17 10:30 - 12:30 | Outside the Former Methodist Chapel, Phoenix Row, Phoenix Row, Witton Park, DL14 0DF, United Kingdom
A walk from Phoenix Row to Greenfields over the Etherley Inclines. 2.4 miles, moderate gradients.

Free Talk: The Stockton & Darlington Railway - Getting America on Track
2025-09-17 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:

CANCELLED Free Guided Walk: The Fighting Cocks Line
2025-09-19 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
EVENT CANCELLED
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:

CANCELLED Free Guided Walk: Teesdale Railway Walk
2025-09-20 10:30 - 13:30 | Teesdale Leisure Centre Carpark, Teesdale Leisure Centre, Stathmore Road, Barnard Castle, DL12 8DS, United Kingdom
WALK CANCELLED
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: Why the Railway came to Darlington (daytime walk)
2025-09-23 10:30 - 12:00, 2025-10-19 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
WALK FULL
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:

Witton Park Bicentenary Event
2025-09-28 12:30 - 17:00 | Witton Park Methodist Church, Low Queen Street, Witton Park, DL14 0DG
Join the Etherley Incline Group for a Railway Exhibition to mark the Bicentenary of the opening of the S&DR at Witton Park Methodist Church between 12:30pm and 5:00pm.
Contact John Raw for more details about this event. jraw2883@aol.com

Free Guided Walk: Pease and Backhouse - the families who brought the S&DR to life
2025-10-11 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
WALK FULL
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:

Free guided walk: Circular Walk around Shildon
2025-11-05 10:40 - 13:00 | Locomotion, Shildon, Dale Road, Shildon, DL4 2RE, United Kingdom
Approx 5.8miles, easy going, 1 stile, dog friendly,
sturdy boots
Refreshments at the former Wagon Works Canteen
For more details contact jraw2883@aol.com
If wet the

Litter Pick at St. Helen Auckland
2026-02-25 10:25 - 12:30 | Stationmaster’s House, West Auckland, DL14 9EX, United Kingdom
Join the Friends for a litter pick along the S&DR. Meeting in front of the former station house in St Helen Auckland at 10:25. Sturdy footwear is recommended. Litter Pickers and bags can be provided, but bring your own if you wish. Email John Raw at jraw2883@aol.com to register for the litter pick.

Celebrating SDR at Heighington
2026-03-07 13:30 - 16:30 | St Michaels Church, Heighington, DL5 6PN, Church View, Heighington, DL5 6PP, United Kingdom
We have a fabulous event coming up on 7th March 2026 with some amazing speakers. Proceeds will support our fundraising efforts to make the magic happen with the old Locomotion pub and bring it back to life again.
Please join us, get your tickets, share the post, sponsor the event… whatever works for you, works for us.
Looking forward to seeing some old friends and making some new ones. Tickets only £6

Meeting of Heighington & Aycliffe Interest Group (H.A.I.G)
2026-03-20 11:00 - 12:30 | NC Group, Unit 3&4, Parsons Court, Welbury Way,, Newton Aycliffe, DL5 6ZE, United Kingdom
HAIG Agenda 20.03.26
Any new members or interested persons wishing to join the meeting please contact below:
jonathan.ratcliffe@sdr1825.org.uk

Free Guided Walk: Allen’s West Station to Preston Park via Eaglescliffe Station.
2026-04-08 10:30 | Allen’s West Station, Eaglescliffe, TS16 0FE
A linear walk from Allen’s West Station to Preston Park via Eaglescliffe Station. Distance is about 2 miles.
Terrain is a mixture of paved and gravel paths.
Meet at Allen’s West Station for 10:30am.

Free Guided Walk: Pease and Backhouse - the families who brought the S&DR to life
2026-04-11 10:30

H.A.I.G. Regular Volunteering Day
2026-04-24
Regular volunteering activities designed to support the HAIG area element of the SDR will take place on the last Friday of the month.
The activities can range from litter picks to development of the original Heighington Station building. If you have anything specific that you want to suggest / lead on the volunteering days please let the us know and we can help make it happen.
Activities, meeting times and places will be published beforehand on here so please keep checking regularly.

Free Guided Walk: Eaglescliffe Station to St. John’s Crossing via Preston Park, Bowesfield Junction and 5 Bridges across the Tees.
2026-04-25 10:30 | Eaglescliffe Station
A linear walk from Eaglescliffe Station to St. John’s Crossing via Preston Park, Bowesfield Junction and the site of 1830 S&DR Suspension Bridge.
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.
Meet at Eaglescliffe Station for 10:30am.

Free Guided Walk: Why the Railway came to Darlington (daytime walk)
2026-05-04 10:30
