Celebrate 200 Years of Railway at Hitachi Rail’s Open Day
Join us on Saturday 4th October for a once-in-a-lifetime Railway 200 Open Day at Hitachi Rail’s Newton Aycliffe factory—right in the heart of where railway history began. As part of the national Railway 200 celebrations, this special event marks not only 200 years since the world’s first public steam railway, the Stockton & Darlington Railway, but also 10 years since Hitachi opened the doors of its state-of-the-art UK factory.
This is the first time the general public will be welcomed inside, offering a rare glimpse behind the scenes of one of Britain’s most advanced train manufacturing sites.
Attractions include:
- Locomotion No.1 – the world’s first steam locomotive to carry passengers on a public railway, returning to the North East where it made history in 1825
- The Railway 200 Exhibition Train – an interactive travelling exhibition showcasing the wide range of careers available in the modern rail industry
- Factory tours offering a rare chance to see Hitachi’s pioneering trains up close, and speak directly with the team that make them
- A special exhibition of winning entries from the “Past, Present & Future of Train Travel” schools drawing competition
The Open Day will also feature food stalls, family activities, heritage displays and talks, and the opportunity to meet some of the people shaping the next generation of rail travel. To purchase tickets please use the link below, tickets go on sale Friday 16th May at 9am.
