'A must-see event'. Residents will be amazed by Ghost Train - Stockton's biggest street theatre spectacle, as part of S&DR200 festival
The biggest outdoor show ever staged in Stockton.
That's what residents can expect on Sunday, September 28 as the recreation of the original Stockton and Darlington Railway journey reaches its destination and a day of celebration takes place in Stockton town centre.
Ghost Train, The Arrival, is a performance created especially for S&DR200, devised by some of the finest and most expert outdoor arts companies in the UK.
This fantastic spectacle builds on the Borough's 30 years of experience in staging international street theatre. This is a must-see event for residents and visitors to the Borough.
Ghost Train is top of the bill, but there is a day-long programme that will entertain visitors of all ages, including music, food and opportunities for families to build their own structures from scrap timber.
There's also a stunning show by the dance company Southpaw, telling the story of the remarkable ingenuity of the creators of the first modern railway.
Sunday, September 28 is the finale of the Anniversary Journey, celebrating the Borough's railway heritage with a scale and quality that does justice to the importance of the 200 anniversary.
The S&DR200 Festival is a culmination of a decade of planning and will draw on over 30 years of experience in presenting spectacular outdoor events. During the last weekend of September across Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham and Darlington there will be a packed programme of large-scale events and railway inspired activities to celebrate the first passenger rail journey.
This includes the once in a lifetime re-enactment of Locomotion No.1s first journey, with a newly restored replica pulling the passenger carriage 'Experiment' and goods wagons, which heads to Stockton on Sunday.
As darkness falls, be amazed as the Ghost Train arrives
Starting at 7:30pm, Ghost Train, The Arrival, is a magical, after-dark show not to be missed.
A creative and engineering feat which includes an amazing re-imagining of Locomotion No.1, complete with six bespoke illuminated carriages, carried by six individual vehicles.
The larger-than-life carriages will travel along a giant 12-metre-high structure on Riverside Road, creating a magnificent show of epic scale and innovation.
Ghost Train will tell the human story of the birth of the passenger railway and will celebrate the transformational impact the railway had on the region.
It will feature a bespoke musical score from international composer Sarah Llewellyn, live music, projection and a 75 strong cast made up of prestigious national and local performers.
The Riverside is a fitting location for the Ghost Train spectacle as the destination of the original 1825 train journey was the S&DR Railway Company's wharf on Stockton's Riverside. Thousands of people can enjoy the musical build-up to the event from 7pm. The show will close with a short pyrotechnics and firework display.
Ghost Train, The Arrival is the second of a two-part performance with the first part, Ghost Train, The Departure taking place in Darlington on Saturday, 20 September.
The Ghost Train is a commission of the S&DR200 Project and is created and produced by Avanti Display Ltd and Walk the Plank, funded by S&DR200 and Tees Valley Combined Authority.
STEAM by Southpaw Dance Company
Newly commissioned for S&DR200, STEAM is a large-scale outdoor dance theatre production from Southpaw Dance Company - who have performed in Stockton many times as part of Stockton International Riverside Festival.
Two free performances of 'STEAM' will take place in Stockton High Street at 2pm and 4pm, using the iconic Stockton Flyer.
The dramatic show will tell the original story of the world's first passenger railway and the extraordinary people who built it. It explores the remarkable ingenuity and
determination of figures such as George Stephenson, known as the Father of Railways and Edward Pease, the daring investor who envisioned a new era of commerce and connectivity.
Through a blend of contemporary dance, storytelling and a 100-strong cast made of members of the community and professional performers, the production captures the essence of an era where steam power began to shrink the world.
Food, drink and live music at The 1825
For visitors enjoying the entertainment, there will be a railway-themed outdoor chill-out zone, serving food and drinks called The 1825, in Bishop Street Car Park.
The 1825 will be a unique space for people to relax, while they enjoy tasty treats, live music and entertainment, set against the newly restored Locomotion No.1 mural.
This area will create a 'festival village' atmosphere, offering top-tier food and drink from a host of local traders.
Families can get creative in Parish Gardens
Come to Parish Gardens to enjoy Tinker Town's City of Play, which will see children and families be able to design and build their own structures from scrap timber.
Visitors are provided with training and tools and are free to play, learn and discover while developing their creativity and construction skills.
The theme will be inspired by the railways and will be the perfect place for creative minds, inventors and engineers to build and reimagine travel, trains and spaces of the future.
In 1825, passengers on the first journey arriving at the Riverside, walked to the Town Hall on Stockton High Street, where they celebrated the momentous event with a banquet.
Inspired by this there will be a special, interactive mud kitchen where children can play and make creations inspired by the special meal enjoyed at Stockton Town Hall, 200 years ago.
S&DR Community Quilt, railway inspired activities and Sir Topham Hatt!
Stockton-on-Tees Libraries are hosting a programme of activities throughout the day from historical talks and storytelling from the famous Sir Topham Hatt, Thomas the Tank Engine's much-loved character at 12 noon, 2pm and 3.30pm.
People will be able to use their creative talents and make their own luggage tags in an artist-led session in the library's Maker Station.
The S&DR Community Quilt will be also on display for visitors to see. The commemorative quilt, which has been made by the community alongside local artist Harriet Mee, is made up of 56 individual textile panels, each representing people's own imaginations of the railway. Throughout the day a short documentary film made by students from Stockton Riverside College about how the quilt was crafted will be on view for people to watch.
The project is part of the S&DR200 Festival and was possible thanks to funding from Libraries Connected and Arts Council England.
For more information stay tuned to the Libraries social media pages.
What do Councillors think?
Councillor Nigel Cooke, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Culture, said: "Ghost Train, The Arrival will be an epic outdoor performance of a scale that has never been seen before in the Borough.
"Outdoor street art at its finest, audiences can expect to see one of the biggest street art commissions brought to Stockton. With beautiful storytelling, humour, music, peril, spectacular fire, water and pyrotechnic effects too, Ghost Train will bring the curtain down on a historic day."
"There'll also be plenty of entertainment throughout the day for people of all ages and a chill-out zone where visitors can enjoy live music and tasty treats, Sunday 28 September will be a truly iconic day to remember."
S&DR200 Festival Director, Niccy Hallifax, said: "Ghost Train, The Arrival is a breathtaking celebration of our railway heritage, brought to life through world-class creativity, engineering and performance. This is a once-in-a-generation spectacle that will amaze, inspire and unite our communities — a true highlight of the S&DR200 Festival."
Keep tuned to S&DR200 and the Council's social media channels for more information about The Anniversary Journey, Ghost Train, The Arrival and what's on offer across the rest of the day.
A full list of the S&DR200 programme listings can be found on the S&DR200 website.
