Stephenson Steam Railway will reopen for the 2025 running season with a brand-new miniature railway.
The North Tyneside-based heritage railway and museum will reopen for 2025 on Sunday 13 April.
New for 2025 is a miniature railway and woodland walk area, alongside returning favourites like ‘make and take’ craft Thursdays during school holidays and heritage train rides every Sunday.
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The new miniature railway connects the museum to the newly built Engine House Halt and has been built by volunteers from the North Tyneside Steam Railway Association.
The light railway will carry its first passengers over Easter Weekend on Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.
Visitors can choose to take a ride on three unique miniature locomotives: the steam engine ‘Loki’, the Planet petrol locomotive ‘Kibworth Castle’, and the special guest locomotive ‘Hilda’.
To celebrate the grand opening over the Easter weekend, visitors can enjoy an intensive miniature railway timetable and ride for just £1, with under 4s riding free.
Also new for 2025 is the under 5s’ play space. In this new play area, children can step into the role of a train guard, practising signals and waving flags in front of a mini mirror.
With sensory objects and other hands-on items scattered throughout, the area encourages playful learning and exploration. It’s a small but fun and engaging space where children can discover the world of trains in a safe and imaginative setting.
Heritage train rides return every Sunday starting from 13 April. Visitors can hop aboard a heritage train for a four-mile return journey along the historic route once used by coal trains traveling from local collieries to the River Tyne.
Heritage train rides run on Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays, with extra services on Thursdays during the school holidays.
Staff and volunteers at Stephenson Steam Railway invite visitors to join them as they celebrate the new additions to the site, as well as much-loved favourites, across the Easter Weekend, starting on Good Friday.
