Locomotion
About This Museum
Believe it or not, the world's first railway town isn't York or London—it's right here in Shildon. Locomotion forms one half of the planet's largest railway museum, a sprawling site that feels more like a grand engine shed than a traditional gallery. You don't just look at history here; you stand inches away from the colossal, soot-stained wheels and weathered cabs of machines that built a nation. It’s an immersive and surprisingly personal encounter with the giants of the rail.
Collection Highlights
Get up close to the mind-boggling 'Coffee Pot' locomotive from 1829, a spindly pioneer that looks nothing like its modern descendants. The star-studded lineup also includes sleek InterCity 125 power cars and hulking freight engines, telling the complete story of rail power from its earliest breaths to the late 20th century.
Visitor Information
Found on the Dale Road Industrial Estate in Shildon, it’s free to enter, though parking charges apply. It’s brilliantly laid out, with plenty of space for kids to explore and interactive displays that bring the static metal beasts roaring to life.
Architecture & Building
Housed primarily in a massive, purpose-built modern shed with soaring ceilings and vast glass walls, it has the honest, functional feel of a railway workshop, letting the locomotives themselves be the true architecture.
Contact & Location
Address: Dale Road Industrial Estate, Dale Road, New Shildon, Shildon, County Durham, North East, England, DL4 2LB, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 330 058 0058
Website: Visit Website
