Big shunt for May opening at Locomotion’s New Hall
THE National Railway Museum has orchestrated its biggest-ever shunt to create Europe’s largest undercover display of historic rail vehicles in time for the public opening of the Locomotion museum in Shildon’s £8 million New Hall on Friday, May 24.
Managed by specialist teams from Locomotion and the NRM at York, the shunt involved 46 rail vehicles and one road vehicle being moved carefully inside the newly-constructed hall.
To enable the four-week shunt to take place safely, Locomotion was temporarily closed to visitors during weekdays until March 27. The final vehicle was expected to go into the hall at the end of April. When added to the stock already at Locomotion, there will be 99 rail vehicles, creating the largest undercover display of historic rolling stock in Europe.
Once the rail vehicles are in place, New Hall will receive new interpretation, seating, wayfinding, lighting and other finishing touches ready to open for visitors. It will also be ready celebrate the museum’s 20th anniversary in September.
Showcasing history
The museum stands close to the site of Shildon Works, once a thriving railway workshop employing thousands and which closed in June 1984. The new building and its vehicle display will recognise the important role of railways in shaping communities in Shildon and the North East, as well as the development of the railways around the UK.
The interpretation will also tell new stories of the significance of coal in the development of the railways, along with related stories of industry and freight transportation.
New Hall is the centrepiece of a sitewide programme of improvements at Locomotion which incorporates historic coal drops, a collection of railway buildings, and Gaunless Bridge – one of the world’s oldest iron railway bridges. A restoration project is taking place to repaint and display the bridge, which was originally part of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, funded by the Ironmonger’s Company and public donations.
As well as New Hall, visitors to Locomotion can see many highlights from the national collection, from the world’s fastest diesel locomotive, High Speed Train Class 43 power car No. 43102 The Journey Shrinker, to George Stephenson’s Rocket and Locomotion No.1, which hauled the first train on the S&DR in 1825.
The new building will be a key part of plans to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the opening of the S&DR in 2025 as part of the Railway 200 programme of events (see News, page 18).
Locomotion’s New Hall has been generously supported by Durham County Council (Lead Funder).
Head of Locomotion Sarah Price said: “I would like to thank all our partners involved in creating the magnificent New Hall, especially Nationwide Engineering and Durham County Council. New Hall effectively doubles the size of Locomotion and gives us much-needed covered display space to help conserve the collection, as well as giving visitors the chance to find out more about the railways and the North East’s railway heritage.
Visitor draw
“I hope the significant regeneration at Locomotion can draw even more people to visit the museum and the region as part of the national Railway 200 celebrations and beyond.”
Locomotion is a partnership between the Science Museum Group and Durham County Council, lead funder for New Hall, which is situated opposite the museum’s existing collection building, and