A traditional fiddle player, Irish guitarist, African drummer and roller skaters got together to perform among a host of vintage trains in Darlington. 

The event at Hopetown Darlington formed part of the official launch of Departing at 18:25 - a new dance show created by the Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance, inspired by the bicentennial of the Stockton & Darlington Railway.

This coming November, The Georgian Theatre, Stockton and Theatre Hullabaloo in Darlington will be staging the world exclusive performances of “Departing at 18:25”.(Image: Sarah Caldecott)

The show tells the story about how people, young and old, make daily life choices and it doesn’t matter if that decision is made in Brazil or Billingham - they all choose to board the train to explore their own personal journey.

The characters explore the themes, including the creation of the Locomotion and the first passenger train that travelled along the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1825 along with a love story staged during the First World War (1910-1913).

It also includes a heartfelt story reenacted during the Windrush generation (1953) and finishes with passengers travelling by train to Billingham for the 60th anniversary festival in 2025.(Image: Sarah Caldecott)

The motion created by the roller skaters, musicians and dancers all gel together to represent the movement of the train.

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These are taster shows building up to the headlining showcase at the 60th Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance in 2025.

The two shows will be staged on Friday November 29 at The Georgian Theatre, Stockton-on-Tees (7.30 pm) and Saturday November 30 at Theatre Hullabaloo, Darlington (8.00 pm). Tickets are priced at £10.

For all ticket details visit the What’s On pages of www.billinghamfestival.com.

(Image: Sarah Caldecott)

(Image: Sarah Caldecott)

(Image: Sarah Caldecott) (Image: Sarah Caldecott) (Image: Sarah Caldecott)

(Image: Sarah Caldecott) (Image: Sarah Caldecott) (Image: Sarah Caldecott)