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Visit Locomotion car-free
Travel a greener way for a complimentary heritage train ride.
It’s easy to visit Locomotion car-free. It’s 5 minutes from Shildon train station, near Darlington. Shildon town centre is about half an hour away through Hackworth Park.
Trains run from Darlington (15 mins) and Middlesbrough (50 mins), Bishop Auckland and Newton Aycliffe (both 5 mins).
Buses run from: Darlington (25 mins), Bishop Auckland (35 mins) and Newton Aycliffe (15 mins).
Check out our recommended route (below) and then use our journey planner (above) for door-to-door train, bus and walking routes.
Discount: Enjoy a 10% discount for any visitor in the cafe with a valid bus ticket for that same day. The discount is not transferrable and can not be combined with any other discount/concession.
For more money-saving tips see our handy guides to UK trains and buses.
Within the North East Combined Authority area, visit by bus for a maximum of £2.50 single or get a day’s unlimited bus, Metro and Shields Ferry travel from anywhere within the North East Combined Authority area for £7.50 by buying a TNE Day Saver.
For journeys wholly within County Durham you can buy a Durham Day Rover and travel all day for just £5.
Passengers aged 5-21 can get £1 single or £3 regionwide day tickets. However, kids aged 5-11 travel free on the bus with an adult during school holidays (up to three children aged 11 and under). This offer applies within the North East Combined Authority – County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside, and Sunderland.
See full fares offers and information at www.northeast-ca.gov.uk/bus.
For those travelling from outside the North East Combined Authority area, the £3 national fare cap applies.
View the route of the first passenger railway, the Bishop Line between Darlington and Bishop Auckland via Shildon. Trains pass over Skerne Bridge, the oldest railway bridge in current use. Find out more about the route.
Kids’ activities abound at Locomotion.
Cycle on the Locomotion Way from Newton Aycliffe. There are sheltered bike racks and a service area adjacent to the Main Hall entrance. Plan your route here.
Trails are described on the Locomotion website.
Taxis need to be booked ahead. Dial-A-Cab – 01388 776 969 operate in the area.
Find accessibility information for transport and Locomotion. Shildon train station has step-free access.
Discover more North East offers and days out with Good Journey.
Get updated bus information with web or app or by texting the stop code to: 84268.
Getting to Locomotion car-free
Here's our recommended route to Locomotion. To get bus and train times and walking routes use our journey planner.
By train
There are direct trains to Shildon on the Tees Valley Line from:
Bishop Auckland (5 mins), Darlington (15 mins), Eaglescliffe (40 mins), Middlesbrough (50 mins) and Saltburn (75 mins).
It’s then a 5-minute walk along a path from Platform 2. The path goes under a railway bridge and beside a playground.
By train via Darlington
here are direct trains to Darlington from:
- East Coast Mainline and app: Doncaster (55 mins), Durham (15 mins), Edinburgh (2 hrs), London Kings Cross (2.5), Morpeth (50 mins), Newcastle (30 mins), Northallerton (10 mins), York (30 mins),
- Tees Valley Line: Eaglescliffe (15 mins), Middlesborough (30 mins) and Saltburn (55 mins),
- Cross Pennines: Leeds (50 mins), Liverpool (3 hrs), Manchester (2 hrs),
- Birmingham (3 hrs) and other cities.
Change for the train to Shildon. This takes about 15 minutes.
It’s then a 5-minute walk along a path from Platform 2. The path goes under a railway bridge and beside a playground.
By bus
There are direct buses to Shildon from:
- Bishop Auckland (bus 1 and bus 5, 35 mins)
- Darlington (bus 1 and bus 5, 25 mins)
- Newton Aycliffe (bus 5, 15 mins)
Jump off the above services at Dale Road Industrial Estate. It’s then a 5-10 minute walk.
Bus 99 from Spennymoor runs on weekdays and takes about 20 minutes to reach Shildon, followed by an around 30-minute walk.
About Locomotion
George Stephenson’s 1825 Locomotion made railway history in this town. Now, together with the National Railway Museum site in York, it forms the world’s biggest railway museum with historic engines, carriages, and interactive displays.
For any queries about visiting contact Locomotion on 033 0058 0058 or [email protected]
Address: Locomotion, Dale Road Industrial Estate, Shildon DL4 2RE. Visit Website