Welcome to Head of Steam
Head of Steam leaflet [PDF document, 1.2mb]
Head of Steam Museum’s Mission Statement
The museum’s mission is to explain the significance of Darlington to railways, and of railways to Darlington.
The museum’s responsibility is to preserve for future generations, and to make available for education and enjoyment, the unique historical collections it holds in trust.
The museum’s objective is to make, in relation to the funding it receives, a worthwhile contribution to community development and economic prosperity in Darlington.
"The Head of Steam, Darlington Railway Museum is a vital part of our railway heritage, locally, regionally and internationally.
It is the ‘birthplace of the railways’ and it is in our town!
I come from a railway family. My dad worked for the Railways for more than 50 years. I joined British Rail in Sunderland in 1974 and there met my husband John who now works for Northern Rail as a manager. I also have a sister, brother-in-law and nephew in the railway industry at Leeds and my niece is the Station Manager at Sheffield.
The Railways are in the blood and the ancestry of the people of Darlington. It is our Heritage; it is our place in the world. We have a fantastic history to share with you so please come and visit soon."
The Worshipful the Mayor,
Councillor Lee Vasey
JP., B.A. (Hons)
Video duration: 7 minutes 1 second
Text transcript [pdf document]
Museum Information
Following a £1.7m refurbishment Darlington Railway Centre and Museum re-launched on 5th April 2008 with a new name and a new look and re-branded as “Head of Steam”.
The newly refurbished museum offers a unique experience to visitors through interactive displays and audio visual equipment, telling the story of the history of Darlington and the impact of railways. Many of the highly popular old exhibits still feature, such as the locomotives in the main area of the museum and these are complimented and enhanced with new exhibitions and interactive displays for people of all ages. This Includes the use of audio, visual and sensory information, as well as other activities such as handling objects, puzzles for children and much, much more.
A new and improved cafe facility provides quality drinks, snacks and light bites, and in the summer months, this extends to include an al fresco seating on the platform outside. There is also a temporary exhibition room with a scheduled programme providing a variety of exhibits catering for different audiences. This new space will include exhibitions from the museums own collection, touring exhibitions from other museums and exhibitions of art and objects from community and school groups.
Other new facilities include The Northern Rail Activity Room – used for a wide variety of activities from craft activities in school holidays, to school visits, to talks and meetings. There is also a children’s play room for our younger visitors. The museum has a conference facility which can be booked through the Council's Occasions team on 01325 388410.
The Head of Steam - Darlington Railway Museum redevelopment has been funded by the European Regional Development Fund, Heritage Lottery Fund, English Heritage, Northern Rock Foundation, Railway Heritage Trust, Museums and Libraries Archives North East and Darlington Borough Council.
Events and Exhibitions
View our 2012 events leaflet [PDF document, 447kb]
As well as fantastic ‘intertracktive’ exhibitions and activities within the museum, we also have a range of events planned for all the family, which make Head of Steam a great day out!