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 reunion of six iconic steam legends. Standing proudly side by side, each locomotive is a roaring monument to Britain’s engineering might.
From the nimble 78018 BR Standard Class 2 to the rugged 62005 LNER K1, the line-up is a masterclass in steam power. The elegant 65894 LNER J27 and the stalwart 63395 LNER Q6 bring the charm of the North Eastern Railway, while the mighty 60163 Tornado and the legendary 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 65894 LNER J27 and mighty 63395 LNER Q6 within our site, where you can also view Sir Nigel Gresley, Tornado and the 62005 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, as well as benefitting from workshop Tours of Darlington Locomotive Works (home to The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust) and the 1861 Shed (home to Darlington Railway Preservation Society and the North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group). Experience a truly unforgettable heritage day out.
The iconic gathering takes place daily between Saturday 20 September – Sunday 5 October 2025.
Keep checking back to find out the locations of the locomotives, 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.
Free of charge
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*Titans of Steam: Footplate Tours
A truly unique opportunity for an intimate encounter with some of the most iconic locomotives in the UK today. Visits begin in the Viewing Gallery at Darlington Locomotive Works, accessed from within the Hopetown Darlington site.
You will travel the short journey to The 1861 Shed by bus and will be met by a guide to complete a footplate tour BR Standard Class 2 78018 (and other locomotives if available).
You will then be taken back to Darlington Locomotive Works to take part in 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 Class E1 69023 / LNER J72) - but you can get up close to each locomotive.
Please allow 90-120 minutes for the tour, and ensure you arrive at Hopetown in plenty of time to cross the site ready for your Footplate Tour experience.
Please note that these tours involve lots of walking, climbs into and out of a mini bus, and steep, physical climbs up to the locomotive footplates (driver's cabs) and back down again.
Adults (16+) - £15 | Children (3-16) - £5
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In partnership with:
The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust
Darlington Railway Preservation Society
North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group
Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Trust
Delivered by: Darlington Borough Council
With thanks to: S&DR200
You may also like the following events from Hopetown Darlington:
Also check out other
Workshops in Darlington,
Festivals in Darlington.
