Saturday 30th August 2025 • Promotional Content


Travel Days Out & Attractions Te Modern Family Full steam ahead for the S&DR200 festival


Two hundred years ago, a stretch of track in North East England sparked a global revolution. When the Stockton & Darlington Railway opened on 27 September 1825, it didn’t just carry passengers — it carried the world into a new era of movement, trade and connection. Now, in 2025, that legacy is being celebrated with S&DR200 — a festival that invites everyone to celebrate the railway that changed the world. With events in Stockton, Darlington,


Durham and beyond, the festival is a vibrant tribute to the past, present and future of rail travel. Among the festival’s highlights is


STEAM to the Future, a future-looking exhibition at Hopetown in Darlington. Tis immersive experience explores how the legacy of the S&DR continues to shape the future of transport, tech- nology and sustainability with LNER, Hitachi Rail, Cummins and Network Rail all adding to the future look of rail. Featuring cutting-edge installations, interactive displays and a bold vision of what lies ahead, the exhibition invites visitors to imagine the next 200 years of innovation. S&DR200 is more than a commemoration: it’s a celebration for all ages and interests. Te programme includes: • A recreation of the original S&DR route, powered by a newly commissioned replica of the iconic Locomotion No. 1.


• A children’s archaeological dig in Preston Park, Stockton with other major commissions lat- er


in the year. Botanical instal- lations will offer a multi-sensory


journey through the railway’s impact on landscapes and communities. Free, large-scale outdoor events, including the spectacular Ghost Train by Avanti and Walk the Plank, animating Stockton and Darlington in September.


• Exhibitions of national significance, such as All Change: Te Social Impact of the Stockton & Darlington Railway at Te Story.


• New artworks in public spaces, libraries and museums will blend history with contemporary creativity across both regions. Te festival also looks to the future, with talks from leading historians, engineers and futurists exploring the next chapter of rail travel. S&DR200 is a platform for bold


ideas and


global conversations. Whether you’re a rail enthusiast,


a history or culture seeker or simply curious, S&DR200 promises a once-in-a-generation experience. As the North East celebrates its pioneering past, it also invites the world to imagine what comes next.


From March to November 2025


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Visit sdr200.co.uk to find out more about the S&DR200 Festival (part of Railway 200)


Get your golden ticket to the Roald Dahl Museum


All tickets include re-entry


Enter through the chocolate doors, which do actually smell of your favour- ite Wonka bar, into the marvellous world of your favourite Roald Dahl stories. Te Roald Dahl Museum is a perfectly-formed and magical place devoted to the stories of the author. Packed with hands-on activities that will get your family’s creative juices flowing and keep you all thorough- ly entertained. Make a stop-motion animation, measure yourself against Roald Dahl characters and dress-up like Willy Wonka. Discover where all the magic hap-


pened as you peek inside Roald’s Writ- ing Hut, preserved at the heart of the Museum. Find out how Roald Dahl imagined his characters and stories and explore three interactive galler- ies that feature original drafts of the books (who knew there were original- ly 10 children in the chocolate facto- ry?!), film props and even a set from the 2009 Wes Anderson Fantastic Mr


Fox film. Te Museum is famous for its storytelling sessions, which take place on selected weekend dates and in the school holidays. Some of your family’s favour-


ite books will be bought to life by the museum’s expert storytell- ers and you can get involved with noises


and actions (that includes


you, adults!). Look out for readings from Matilda,


Te Twits and Revolting Rhymes over the next few months. Based in the village that inspired so


many of the books, you can hop on a train from London Marylebone and be in the chocolate box streets of Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire in just 45 minutes. Pick up free family-friendly walk-


Discover where all the magic happened as you peek inside Roald’s Writing Hut, preserved at the heart of the Museum E:hello@roalddahlmuseum.org T: 01494 892192 roalddahlmuseum.org


ing trails from the museum to explore the local scenery, including Matilda’s library and the woods that inspired Fantastic Mr Fox, or book on to one of the many workshops that run in the school holidays — from making Miss Trunchbull out of clay to a special late-night Twits Halloween event in October half-term. Free gallery trails and crafts are


always on offer and you can sam- ple locally-produced snacks, drinks and freshly brewed coffee in the Fill- ing-Station. You’d be a twit to miss it.


for 12 months, plus get 15% off tickets using offer code OFFER15. Offer valid until 31 December 2025


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