New £35million railway attraction to open in England – with 4D ride, train-themed adventure park and museum
A TOWN in the north of England could soon have a brand-new multi-million pound attraction.
Hopetown Darlington is set to open in mid-July, according to the council.
Head of Heritage and Culture at Darlington Borough Council Mike Crawshaw confirmed that the new attraction should be opening in time for the school summer holidays.
As reported by the BBC, the new £35million attraction will feature the likes of a live train station, which aims to celebrate Darlington’s railway heritage with heritage buildings like the former Head of Steam Museum.
There will also be a train-themed adventure playpark, an exhibition hall, which is housed inside a restored Carriage Works, and a 4D ride that aims to showcase how rail travel changed the world.
A community hub will also be found on the brand-new site.
Other areas include an outdoor events space, a viewing Gallery to view the construction of new steam locomotives and an education centre.
Volunteers from the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust will also be at the site, with visitors able to watch them at work.
Hopetown Darlington is located just a stone’s throw away from North Road (Darlington) train station, which has direct links to Saltburn and Middlesbrough.
Mr Crawshaw said: “It’s a live station and that’s part of the beauty and appeal of the site, because you can sit and have a coffee and, as well as celebrating the history of the site, you’ve got the Bishop Line passing alongside parallel.”
It is hoped that the new site will attract around 300,000 visitors every year.
If you’re more interested in the journey, then there are plenty of scenic rail routes throughout the UK and Europe.
One of those is the route along the East Coast mainline, which has spectacular views across the UK, and it even comes into its own from Darlington.
Ryan Gray from Sun Online Travel described the train journey as one of the best in the country thanks to its views.
From the window, passengers will be able to spot several landmarks, including castles and iconic bridges.
Ryan said: “For me the best stretch is from Durham to Edinburgh, although the line runs all the way from London Kings Cross, with bucolic views and landmarks like Alexandra Palace adding to the journey further south.
“However, as it makes its way north of Darlington, the line really begins to show off.”
From Darlington, passengers will be able to spot Durham Cathedral, the Angel of the North and the famous Tyne and Millennium bridges.
There are plenty of other rail attractions and train stations across the country that Brits can visit this spring, including a tube station in London.
Kew Gardens Tube Station in Richmond, London has made a name for itself because of its proximity to a pub.
The Tap on the Line is one of the last remaining pubs on the London Underground, which means it sits within the tube station.
Kew Gardens Tube Station first opened to passengers on January 1, 1869, with its architecture considered to be a rare sight in 21st-century London.
Even though the pub doesn’t have direct access to the train station, punters can still see into the platform thanks to long windows.
Three other attractions opening in the UK
There are plenty of other adventure attractions hoping to open in the UK over the next few years.
- Rhydycar West, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, could soon be home to a lavish £300million holiday resort. The “world class leisure resort” would have a waterpark, an Olympic ski slope, adventure zones and outdoor lodges among its many offerings. No set opening date has been revealed.
- Wildfox Resorts, Afan Valley, Wales, will be a £250million holiday park with 570 lodges as well as 130 apartments and rooms. There will also be plenty of out activities on the site too, including wild swimming, mountain biking, hiking, canyoning and bouldering. It is slated to open in 2027.
- Therme Manchester hopes to open in 2025. The huge new £250million water resort will be home to swimming pools, saunas and steam rooms
Meanwhile, a seaside town in the north of England could soon have brand-new attraction after plans were approved last week.
Plans to build a 2,100ft (650m) zipline in Scarborough’s North Bay were approved by councilors last Thursday.
