Our Collections

Head of Steam Museum holds a number of collections, including:

• Head of Steam Museum collection
• Ken Hoole collection
• John Mallon collection
• North Eastern Railway Association collection 
• Tubwell Row Museum collection

The museum service also cares for Piercebridge Roman Fort, although artefacts from the site are held by the Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle.

The museum's existing collections are mostly limited to material illustrating the development and operation of railways in North East England. Although regional in scope, in some areas they are of national importance because of their association with the Stockton & Darlington Railway (S&DR).

The collections cover:

• S&DR and its associated lines
• North Eastern Railway (NER)
• London & North Eastern Railway (LNER)
• British Railways (BR)
• The railway manufacturing industry in Darlington
• Industrial railways in Darlington

The material held includes:

• Archives, maps, photographs and printed ephemera
• One locomotive and two wagons
• Items used in railway operating
• "Branded" items associated with the railway infrastructure
• Models and toys