Industrial, maritime and transport
Rides on steam railways can take you to the birthplaces of the Industrial Revolution. As the thrilling shriek of the steam engine whisks you back through the decades, stunning countryside streaks past your window. Next, explore our industrial heritage at a perfectly preserved mill town or a fascinating mining village. Discover what made our island nation great at dockyards and maritime museums, as the kids clamber over 18th-century steam ships and 19th-century tea clippers resplendent in their restored glory. Don’t miss the transport museums and military air shows that showcase staggering feats of automotive and aeronautical engineering.
Take your senses on a trip back in time at Beamish
Touch, taste, hear, see and smell history on an unforgettable journey into the past at England’s largest open-air museum.
Location: Vale of Durham
Peep into Durham’s locomotive past
Discover Durham’s role in the development of the railways at Locomotion, the National Railway Museum at Shildon.
Location: Vale of Durham