Locomotion

Originally imagined as an accessible vehicle store, Locomotion has grown together with the community around it.

Shildon was home to the engineer Timothy Hackworth. An early pioneer of the steam age, his engine Sans Pareil competed against Rocket at the Rainhill Trials in 1829.

To celebrate this long connection to railway history Locomotion houses a series of restored and replica vehicles from the early nineteenth century.

It is also home to some of the Royal Trains, including the exquisite Royal Dining Car from 1905. Designed for Edward VII, this was the peak of style and technology at the time.

But Locomotion is also home to more modern vehicles. Both common working engines and experimental vehicles, such as the prototype APT-E  tilting train, are on display.

New Hall, opened in 2025, is a homage to the central role freight, locomotive power, and traffic played in the work of Shildon and the North East of England.

Use the directional keys to explore the rows of freight vehicles here. Each has an important story to tell, from building our cities, and changing how we eat, through to removing the waste we leave behind!

Almost hidden in the shadow of the great wagons are some amazing little survivors. These strange bikes, called velocipedes, were used by staff to move up and down the track to inspect and repair it.