S&DR Trail of Discovery
Intro
S&DR Trail of Discovery is a public walk and cycling path which follows sections of the original S&DR route in County Durham, Darlington and Stockton.
Although this is not a continuous route, approximately 9 miles remains live line to this day.
The trail forms part of a lasting legacy to those pioneers and closely follows large sections of the original 26-mile-route of the world's first passenger and goods train journey on the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) line that took place on 27 September 1825.
Along the path you will find notable highlights including the world's first train platform, the oldest railway bridge in continuous use and sites that housed the cutting-edge technology of the time.
Helping tell this famous story and placed along the route are three very different but striking museums; Locomotion in Shildon , which houses Europe's largest collection of early locomotion's, Hopetown in Darlington which has been reimagined and houses interactive experiences telling the story of early rail, and Preston Park Museum in Stockton which is set in 120 acres of park and has many a curiosity of local life as well as a new gallery.
The first phase of the Trail will be completed during 2025 which will see a continuous route in County Durham from the very start of the line in Witton Park to Heighington Station. This part of the trail although picturesque is not flat so may not be accessible to all.
In Darlington the route will run from Hopetown Museum and pick up the original 1825 route all the way to Middleton St George. Where you can see one of the 9 murals, we will be placing in along the route.
In Stockton, the route will pick up at Eaglescliffe Station and take you on a journey to Stockton Riverside, via Preston Park, where you can still see remnants of the 1825 line.
In Summer 2025, 17 illustrated panels will be placed be along the route that tell the story of this pioneering historic event that changed the way the world travels, trades and communicates, give you facts.
The S&DR Discovery Trail builds on the work undertaken along the route following Historic England designating the S&DR route a Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) in 2018 and will be completed in phases right up to 2027.
Visit the S&DR Trail of Discovery website for more information.
If you want to learn more as you walk or cycle we have also created a Game as part of the celebrations and this game has AR and podcasts attached to it, so you can listen to various historians and storytellers whilst you enjoy the route.
Key moments of the trail
Key moments of the trail
The first section of the journey in 1825 saw horse-drawn waggons full of coal make their way from the Phoenix coal pit in Witton Park to Shildon where the waggons were then hitched to Locomotion No. 1, a steam engine designed, built and driven by George Stephenson. The train then made its way to Darlington and on to the River Tees at Stockton Harbour.
In 2018 Historic England designated the S&DR a Heritage Action Zone to preserve this historically important stretch of terrain. Since then, conservation, surveys, assessments, and repairs have taken place along the route so that the public can enjoy the natural beauty of this area and see and learn about its unique industrial history.
If you pass by Heighington Station and Skerne Bridge, you can also find the world's first train platform, and the oldest railway bridge in continuous use in the world.
The future of the trail
The future of the trail
The S&DR Discovery Trail follows the original route as much as is possible given the many changes to the environment over the last 200 years. Some sections will divert, and others are not yet accessible.
More information on the S&DR Discovery Trail will be available in summer 2024 and some sections of trail will be open from autumn 2024 with work ongoing to make the full 26-miles accessible in the future.
The map shows the original S&DR route.
