Tickets, please!

Did you know...

Before digital tickets became common place, ticket inspectors used to check your travel tickets by 'nipping' them? A nipped ticket meant that your ticket was valid for that journey and had been checked by the inspector.

Nippers came in all sorts of wonderful shapes and designs. Some were personalised to the inspector, whilst most were associated with either the train operating company, the travel region, or even the specific route. 

As time progressed, so did the method of both ticketing and checking travel tickets. Pens replaced nippers. Online tickets replaced paper tickets. Now all of your travel information is contained in a simple QR code, although printed tickets are still common if purchasing directly from a ticket office. 

Nippers were consigned to history, except here at Hopetown. Across Hopetown Darlington you can find seven seperate corten-steel public art displays in the shape of various ticket nippers. Each nipper contains a word associated with Darlington's industrial heritage.

See if you can find all seven! If you're visiting with a family, pick up a nipper trail at Hopetown Darlington to complete fun activities at each nipper location.