Architectural Manoeuvres in the Dark

When you visit Hopetown Darlington, you'll be able to cross a brand-new bridge over the railway line. The bridge, which is fully accessible with an integrated lift, takes you to Darlington Locomotive Works, the home of the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, where you can linger in the high-level viewing gallery to watch members and volunteers of the Trust build the UK's newest P2 class no.2007 steam locomotive, Prince of Wales.  

You'll be at Hopetown during the day, but the steel bridge, which was manufactured offsite and assembled onsite, was actually put in place in the middle of the night!

In May 2024, a team of eight people from main contractor Wilmott Dixon - plus a 5000-tonne crane - worked between the hours of 11pm and 3am to lift the bridge into place. Why? Because they needed access to the railway line, and there are no trains running on this line overnight. To add to the challenge, due to the congestion on what was a busy construction site, they only had a confined area to work in. The skill and precision required was riveting to watch!