A two-part large-scale outdoor performance which took place in Stockton and Darlington.
Darlington – Ghost Train: The Departure
Around 5,500 people gathered in Darlington Market Square throughout the day and evening to witness the reimagining of Locomotion No.1. Despite periods of rain, audiences stayed to enjoy the spectacle as the historic locomotive was placed on a large plinth, its gears turning as they had 200 years before. Across the afternoon, six large-scale kinetic structures, mounted on customised Nissan Micras, brought to life key inventions from the past two centuries through performance, music, sound, and engineering. At dusk, the locomotive came alive; powered by “coal of the future” made by 900 local primary school children, and led a magical procession to Hopetown.
Stockton – Ghost Train: The Arrival
An estimated 9,000 people gathered at Stockton Riverside for the final act of the Ghost Train journey. The show featured a 12m-high scaffolded reimagining of the Brusselton Incline, accompanied by original music, projection, storytelling, fire, and pyrotechnics. A community cast drawn from local schools and volunteers helped tell the human story of the Industrial Revolution and its enduring impact on the region, creating a spectacular and emotional conclusion to the event.
