200 years ago the first passenger train in the world was launched: where you can see it.

Shildon: The World's First Railway Town

According to The Sun: The small town of Shildon in County Durham changed travel in the UK and around the world forever.

Shildon is considered the world's first railway town, as it was here, on September 27, 1825, that the first public railway with steam locomotives was launched.

On the opening day, 200 years ago, the train carried hundreds of people and reached speeds of up to 15 miles per hour.

Visitors can peek into the Locomotion museum, which tells the story of railways. Here is the first train used on this world's first public railway – the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR).

Entry to the museum is free, and inside is a collection of railway vehicles, including historical carriages.

Among the main attractions of the museum is locomotive No. 1, which became the first locomotive to pull a passenger train on the S&DR.

Other vehicles include the royal saloon of Augusta Alexandra and a prototype of a high-speed train that later became the basis for the development of high-speed railways around the world.

To great surprise, the museum has the largest collection of historical railway vehicles under cover in Europe.

For the little ones, there is a playground with wooden railways in the main hall.

Behind the museum, visitors can explore coal yards, where historic buildings tower with railway tracks for fueling locomotives and loading wagons.

There is also a railway garden and an outdoor playground.

After viewing all the exhibits, you can visit the cafe for a light snack or drinks, where there are even Eurostar seats.

The History of Shildon

At the beginning of the 19th century, Shildon consisted of only a few houses at a crossroads.

However, with the advent of the Industrial Revolution and the development of railways, the town quickly became an important center for railway travel.

In 1825, engineer Timothy Hackworth founded Soho Works, where the Locomotion museum is now located, and his work made steam energy reliable.

This helped Shildon become a global center for locomotive maintenance and manufacturing.

In September 1825, locomotive Locomotive No.1 became the first to carry passengers, setting off from the Mason’s Arms pub.

At the start of the S&DR, tickets were sold in the bar, and between 1833 and 1841, one room in the pub served as a ticket office.

The S&DR stretched 27 miles from the terminal in Shildon to another in Stockton.

While passengers can no longer ride the original S&DR, they can walk or bike along the route.

The S&DR Trail of Discovery has numerous paths and bike trails accessible to all, along with information panels that tell the history of this historic railway route.

In honor of the 200th anniversary of the launch of the S&DR, the Locomotion museum is holding a series of events, including an exhibition titled 'Celebrating Railways: Past, Present and Future'.

Shildon was also recognized as one of the most affordable towns to live in 2020, when the average house price here was just £60,000 – about a tenth of the housing costs in London.

The town is located 13 miles from the city of Durham, so it is not too far from all the advantages of a big city.

It is also a short trip from the Picturesque Landscapes of the Pennines, famous for its wonderful walking routes through open hills.

To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the launch of locomotive No. 1, various events are planned at the museum to highlight the significance of this historic moment.