The 27th September 2025 marks the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) in the north east of England, which gave birth to the modern railway.
To celebrate this landmark anniversary, the nine-month S&DR200 Festival will take place across County Durham and Tees Valley from March to November 2025. The Festival is inspired by the first journey on the S&DR which went on to connect places, people and communities.
From March 2025, S&DR200 will celebrate the region’s pioneering past and look forward to its future with a series of free large-scale outdoor events, exhibitions and new art commissions in its public spaces, libraries, and world-class museums. S&DR200 is being delivered by Darlington Borough Council, Durham County Council and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. Major funders include Arts Council England, Tees Valley Combined Authority, The National Heritage Lottery Fund and Network Rail.
