Locomotion - Shildon

Locomotion: A Noteworthy National Rail Museum and Tourist Attraction in the United Kingdom

Locomotion, located at Dale Road Industrial Estate, Shildon DL4 2RE, United Kingdom, is a renowned rail museum that has captured the hearts of visitors with its rich collection of railway artifacts, interactive exhibits, and engaging programs. The museum is easily accessible by phone at 3300580058 and through their informative website at locomotion.org.uk.

Especialidades and Key Features

• Rail museum: Locomotion boasts an extensive collection of steam locomotives, diesel locomotives, and vintage carriages.
• Museum: The museum offers a wealth of information on the history of railways and their impact on society.
• National museum: As one of the UK's premier railway museums, Locomotion showcases the country's railway heritage.
• Tourist attraction: The museum is a popular destination for tourists, offering a variety of family-friendly activities and events.

Other Points of Interest

• Onsite services such as restaurants and restrooms, ensuring a comfortable visit for all guests.
• Live performances and assistive hearing loops to enhance the visitor experience.
• Wheelchair accessible entrance, parking lot, and restroom facilities, making the museum accessible to all.
• Wheelchair rental and gender-neutral restrooms available, demonstrating the museum's commitment to inclusive design.
• Wi-Fi access and family-friendly amenities, such as changing tables and kid-friendly activities.
• Free parking lot, making it convenient for visitors to spend the day exploring the museum.

Reviews and Opinions

With 3996 reviews on Google My Business, Locomotion has garnered a stellar reputation among railway enthusiasts and families alike. The average opinion is a superb 4.6/5, indicating that visitors greatly appreciate the museum's dedication to preserving railway history and providing an engaging, educational experience. Many reviewers praise the museum's accessibility, family-friendly atmosphere, and fascinating exhibits.

Final Recommendation

For anyone interested in the rich history and incredible feats of the British railway system, Locomotion is an absolute must-visit. With its comprehensive collection, engaging exhibits, and commitment to accessibility, there is something for everyone at this remarkable national rail museum. To learn more or plan your visit, be sure to check out their website at locomotion.org.uk or contact them directly at 3300580058.

👍 Reviews of Locomotion

Liz H.

5/5

Wow! What can I say! And I don't like 'trains!'
We called as the weather wasn't too good, we were not too far away - and it was free. We said if we spent half an hour there and got a coffee we'd not lost anything. Two and a half hours later we were asking why we'd never been before!
Fabulous place. Two massive sheds packed full of fascinating locomotives - and some trains! I cannot get over the sheer size of some of them! The Flying Scotsman was there when we visited.
Most of it is indoors - in fact I'm not sure if anything is outside. We didn't do outside. It is lovely and warm in there. Everything had description labels - all at child level - with audio too. Lots of interactive stations. Loads of seating dotted around. (Strava said I'd walked almost 2 miles at the end of it!) Plenty of toilets which were spotlessly clean. Play areas for the little ones. A really nice touch was a quiet zone for people who might need some down time. All in all it is fabulously thought out so that everyone can be included.
There are some engines that you can go inside to see the workings with volunteers on to explain it all. These were quite busy so we didn't visit them today.
Nicely laid out shop with a fabulously enthusiastic young man!
Great no frills cafe with Costa coffee. Two coffees and two cakes for just over £11. Some cosy chairs, some train seats and some normal tables. Lovely staff. High chairs for little ones.
Massive car park. Disabled parking. The whole site, from what we saw, seemed wheelchair friendly.
It really is worth a visit. Although it is free, there is the opportunity to donate. Please do as it would be a travesty if this place had to close because of lack of funds.

X-Marks T. S.

5/5

1st class, realy great exhibits and the most helpful and friendliest of staff. Free entry, free parking and all under cover out of the weather. Cant recommend it enough.

Ondra V.

5/5

An amazing, free museum, full of trains and it's history. They have two buildings, one dedicated to freight and another to passengers. Plenty of trains to go their and volunteers to ask about trains, I spent here about 3 hours. Took it easy, no rush, just enjoy the trains and reading about them.

Colin W.

5/5

I am quite local to the museum so walked up the path adjacent to the railway line. Sat down to have a coffee and look at the magnificent engineering heritage on display. Shows how our country was at the forefront of the industrial revolution. Sadly it is no longer in this position. But the museum is well worth the visit, staff are friendly and helpful, food and drink are available. It is free to enter, but you can donate to help. Also there is a shop selling toys and memorabilure.

Daniel T.

5/5

Brilliant free attraction in Shildon, with a diverse range of trains and other railway vehicles on show. I actually prefer this site to the main National Railway Museum as it has a lot more interesting stuff on display. Easy to get around and plenty of space.

Stuart H.

4/5

Plenty of car park spaces..Little walk to both the new and old warehouses..
Nice little cafe inside including railway seats to sit on. Nice little shop also..donations are ask when entering..

K. P.

5/5

This was a fascinating museum to visit for the history of trains, with vintage steam engines going back as far as the local Stockton and Darlington railway! The prototype diesel electric locomotive is a standout and there is prototypes of high speed trains significantly faster than what the UK has, as well as a bus-train model. One of the steam engines is open for a walk in to the cab that even has the firebox open, old fashioned carriages are a magnificent sight. The shunter is unique for a train and it is fantastic they have the Northern Pacer evoking memories of my area in Yorkshire, model trains are shown in their own box and there is a shop full of collectors' items too!

Michelle C.

5/5

Great! Spent about an hour here, but could have been much longer. Very friendly staff. Café was closed so we didn't get to try that, but fair amount of choice and good seating areas. The New Hall area is great!
We don't kids but the kids who were there looked to be having a blast. Lots of information on video and audio, with subtitles and sign language available.
Lovely little shop with great models and merchandise.