TORNADO
LNER Peppercorn Class A1 60163
TITANS OF STEAM GALA
TITANS OF STEAM GALA
Legends of the railway
As part of this year’s S&DR200 celebrations, Hopetown Darlington will be front and centre of the festival as the home of the modern railway plays host to a free-to-visit thunderous gathering of iconic steam legends. Standing proudly side by side, each locomotive is a roaring monument to Britain’s engineering might.
From the nimble BR Standard Class 2 78018 to the rugged LNER K1 62005, the line-up is a masterclass in steam power. The elegant LNER P3 2392 (J27 65894) and the stalwart NER T2 2238 (Q6 63395) bring the charm of the North Eastern Railway, while the mighty A1 Class 60163 (Tornado) and the legendary A4 Class 60007 (Sir Nigel Gresley) steal the spotlight with their speed and majesty.
This is more than a line-up – it’s a living, breathing pageant of steam where history hisses, whistles wail, and the spirit of the rails roars once more.
Experience a close up view of the elegant LNER P3 / J27 and mighty NER T2 / Q6 within our site alongside the mighty Class 37 D6898. Marvel at Sir Nigel Gresley (from Tuesday 23 September), Tornado and the LNER K1 in light steam from our purpose built viewing area looking across the railway line.
We will also be holding seperate footplate tours where you can step aboard the Sir Nigel Gresley, Tornado, British Standard Class 2, and the LNER K1. You'll also benefit from workshop Tours of Darlington Locomotive Works (home to The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust) to see LNER P2 Class 2007 Prince of Wales under construction, and the 1861 Shed (home to Darlington Railway Preservation Society and the North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group) where you can see NER Class E1 (J72 69023) under restoration. Experience a truly unforgettable heritage day out.
A number of these locomotives took part in the cavalcade which celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1975 and their appearance at S&DR200 will echo that engineering might seen 50 years ago.
This iconic gathering takes place between Saturday 20 September – Sunday 5 October 2025.
Keep checking back to find out the locations of the locomotives, the dates locomotives will be with us*, any additional locomotives joining the line up and for news as we reveal exciting accompanying activities and events to take place alongside the Titans of Steam Gala.
Delivered by: Darlington Borough Council, Durham County Council & Stockton Borough Council.
Major Funders: Arts Council England, Tees Valley, Funded by UK Government
With thanks to:
The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust
Darlington Railway Preservation Society
North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group
Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Trust
The line up may be subject to change. The full and final line up will be released by mid August 2025.
LOCOMOTIVE TOP TRUMPS
SIR NIGEL GRESLEY
LNER Class A4 4498 (from Tuesday 23 September)
LNER K1
NER Peppercorn Class 62005
NER T2 2238
Q6 63395
LNER P3 2392
J27 65894
STANDARD CLASS 2
BR2 78018
NER 69023 'Joem'
LNER J72
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
Footplate & Partners Tours
Visits begin in the Viewing Gallery at Darlington Locomotive Works (accessed from within the Hopetown Darlington site).
You will be bussed to the 1861 Shed to be met by a guide from DRPS/NELPG and to complete a footplate tour of the BR Standard Class 2 78018* (and other locomotives if available).
You will then be bussed back to Darlington Locomotive Works to complete a footplate tour of LNER Peppercorn Class A1 60163 (Tornado), LNER Class A4 4498 (Sir Nigel Gresley)** & LNER Peppercorn Class K1 62005.
You will then head back onto the Hopetown Darlington site to view the remaining locomotives. Unfortunately footplate tours are not available for NER Class T2 63395 / LNER Q6 or the NER NER Class P3 65894 / LNER J27 - but you can get up close to each locomotive as well as the Class 37 D6898.
*Only until Sunday 28 September
**From Tuesday 23 September
Cost: £15 per adult (aged 16+), £5 per child (aged 3-16)
Where: Hopetown Darlington, 1861 Shed and Darlington Locomotive Works
Capacity: Max 14 people per tour
Ages: 3+
Duration: Allow 90-120 minutes for the tour
When: Please see the schedule below
- Saturday 20th September
- Sunday 21st September
- Sunday 28th September
- Saturday 4th October
- Sunday 5th October
Time: Starting at 10.30am, tours will run every 20 minutes with the last tour starting at 2.50pm
Tickets: Book Footplate Tour tickets here
See the LNER Peppercorn Class A1 60163 (Tornado), LNER Class A4 4498 (Sir Nigel Gresley)* and & the LNER Peppercorn Class K1 62005 in light steam on select days throughout Titans of Steam.
A viewing area on Foundry Green - within Hopetown Darlington - gives you the perfect view as the three locomotives proudly sit side by side and fire up their boilers.
Cost: Free of charge
Where: The viewing area within Hopetown Darlington (located on Foundry Green).
When: 20, 21 & 28 September | 4 & 5 October - 10am-5pm
Tickets: Book Gala / Light Steam tickets here
*From Tuesday 23 September
Jump aboard North East England’s only permanent immersive experience ride! Join Georgie and Stephen on an extraordinarily vivid journey into passenger rail travel! Starting right here in Darlington in 1825 with Locomotion No. 1's first steam-powered passenger railway journey, take an exciting ride into the past to discover more about the history of the railways, and imagine where they will take us in the future! See the impact Darlington's railway heritage has had across societies and cultures across time and around the world.
Cost: £5 per passenger
Where: North Road Station Museum at Hopetown Darlington
When: Daily, 10am-5pm
FAQs
The locomotive Sir Nigel Gresley is attending an open day at Heaton Depot in Newcastle on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 September.
Sir Nigel Gresley will join the Titans of Steam Gala line up from Tuesday 23 September.
There is no age limit for the tours, however, we cannot legally accommodate children under the age of 3 onto the minibus. We apologise for any inconvenience.
There is no upper age limit, however, the tour does include some walking and climbing up to and back down from locomotive footplates (drivers' cabs).
The workshop visits and site access across Hopetown Darlington are fully accessible.
At the moment the Footplate Tours, access to the Class 37 and the bus between The 1861 Shed and Darlington Locomotive Works are not accessible. However, we are working to resolve this.
The tours involve a physical, steep climb up to the footplate of the locomotives and a climb back down again.
Yes, schools can enjoy a bespoke visit to the Titans of Steam Gala which includes as a visit to the STEAM to the Future exhibition. Schools are able to visit on the following dates listed below.
:Tuesday 23rd September
- Wednesday 24th September
- Thursday 25th September
- Friday 26th September
- Tuesday 30th September
- Wednesday 1st October
- Thursday 2nd October
- Friday 3rd October
Please allow up to 1.5 hours for a school visit. Visits can take place at either 10am-11.30am or 1pm-2.30pm.
All visits are self-led and free of charge.
Max group size of 35 staff and pupils.
Please note that schools are not able to take part in the footplate tours.
Please contact sarah.gouldsbrough@darlington.gov.uk to book a visit. Please include your preferred date and time for your visit.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT S&DR200
by visiting their website