New County Durham Discovery Trail to celebrate 200 years of modern railway | Chronicle Live

New County Durham Discovery Trail to celebrate 200 years of modern railwayThe Discovery Trail will showcase new artworks on sections of the world's first passenger train routeCommentsEmily

Gray Community Reporter16:00, 01 Jun 2025A new walking and cycling trail following sections of the original 26-mile route of the world's first passenger and goods train will launch this

June, featuring murals from artist Morag Myerscough(Image: Friends of the S&DR / Mark Cocksedge) A new walking and cycling trail coming to County Durham and Tees Valley is set to reimagine

history. Marking 200 years since the birth of the modern railway - The S&D200 Festival - is celebrating the anniversary with a series of events planed throughout the year from March 9 to

November 30.

And launching on June 10, a new Trail of Discovery is set to open between Witton Park in County Durham and Stockton in Tees Valley. It will closely follow sections of the original 26-mile

route of the world's first passenger and goods train journey on the S&DR.

‌ The historic route will be reimagined through a series of new unveiled murals from three leading artists at key historic stations, inviting the public to engage through new information

panels, and an augmented reality game voiced by a local TV star.

‌ Developed in partnership with Historic England and the Railway Heritage Trust, the Trail of Discovery will permanently connect key communities via waymarked paths, cycleways, and stations.

Artist Kate Jackson's work will feature at the world’s first railway station, the Grade II* listed Heighington and Aycliffe Railway Station - still in use today as part of the Bishop Line,

now known as Heighington Station. The station set the model for modern railway stops, providing a train halt, passenger shelter, and a hub for transporting goods.

Heighington and Aycliffe Railway Station in County Durham(Image: N Hammond - Friends of the S&DR)Article continues below Adébayo Bolaji 's work will feature at Grade II* listed Darlington

Railway Station, famously visited by Queen Victoria in 1849. And Morag Myerscough's work will feature at Stockton Station, visited by the Prince of Wales during the 1925 centenary

celebrations of S&DR.

Each artist is working with local community groups, including young creatives and asylum seekers, to reflect the people and places shaped by the S&DR and reveal the hidden histories of key

railway stations.

Along the trail, visitors will also be able to see important heritage structures, including Skerne Bridge, the oldest railway bridge still in continuous use, and the Brusselton Incline,

where a section of the original Stockton and Darlington track is still visible.

Article continues belowTV star Steph McGovern pictured last year at the unveiling of Stockton and Darlington Railway 200 festival plans (Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror) To accompany the

route, a new Trail of Discovery game voiced by broadcaster Steph McGovern will also launch in June, using augmented reality to bring the parts of the route to life. It is hoped the trail

will leave a lasting legacy beyond the anniversary year, enabling future generations to explore the railway’s past and present, and serving as a point of connection for local communities and

visitors to the region.

Investment in the region has come through the Stockton and Darlington Railway Heritage Action Zone, which since 2018 has provided £57 million to restore the historic railway and lay the

groundwork for transforming the area into a major visitor destination.