Moving on up

Derwent (Locomotive number 25) is an 0-6-0 steam locomotive designed by Timothy Hackworth and built at Kitching's Foundry in Darlington in 1845 by William and Alfred Kitching for the Stockton & Darlington Railway (S&DR).

Since 1975, Derwent has been on display in North Road Station Museum. Prior to 2024, it was located on the track - but we wanted to move it onto the platform to give it a stage befitting our star exhibit.

The distance from the track to the platform is only a matter of metres - but still, this move was not an easy task. In February 2024, it took three people three days to move Derwent in three parts - the loco and two tenders, front and back.

They used hydraulic lifters to lift the parts inch by inch. Wood was used to fill the gaps between the tenders - resembling a giant game of Jenga. The loco itself was moved on a metal frame (which it’s still sitting on). The parts were then hand-winched across the platform and the loco and tenders were re-assembled in situ.

You can see Derwent on display at North Road Station Museum. Entry to the museum is included in free site admission. We recommend booking site admission in advance. There is no need to pre-book entry into the museum - simply pop in once you are onsite.

Derwent is on loan from the Science Museum Group.