THE list of cultural and natural icons granted World Heritage status is a long and impressive one. Among the 911 entries are Sydney Opera House, the Acropolis in Athens, Durham Castle and Cathedral, Venice, Mont Saint-Michel, in France, Moscow’s Red Square and the Grand Canyon.

Now plans are under way to add Darlington’s railway museum to the list, which is compiled by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).

World Heritage Site status is being sought for the Darlington Borough Council-run Head of Steam, at North Road Station, as part of proposals aimed at mitigating the authority’s £22m of budget cuts.

The National Railway Museum (NRM), based in York, is behind the plans to pursue the status because of the station’s association with the early years of the railway.

Built in 1840, the station was the original terminus of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, the world’s first public railway.

Helen Ashby, from the NRM, said: “This site reflects the evolution of the railway from waggonways that moved coal to the tidewater staithes of the North-East coast, to the successful creation of the steam railway locomotive in the 1820s.

“This is one of the most important early railway sites and structures in the world and helps to reinforce Britain’s position as the world’s first industrial nation.”

Councillor Steve Harker said: “The possibility of Head of Steam becoming a World Heritage Site is a long-term ambition and one which, if realised, may unlock potential funding.

“It will also reinforce Darlington’s importance in the history of the railways and put the town firmly on the world map.

“The realisation of this ambition may be years away.

However, it must be considered alongside our more immediate budget concerns.”

Also contained in the council report are plans to open talks with Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College about its use of the neighbouring Arts Centre.

Discussions took place last year about the college buying part of the building.

The report said discussions would be pursued “with a view to the efficient operation of the Arts Centre building and continued use of its resources by organisations such as Theatre Hullabaloo and Darlington Media Group”.

Other plans include:

● The introduction of a public subscription system to support arts in Darlington;
● A possible increase in the number of volunteers working at the venues;
● The Head of Steam to be opened more during the winter.

The report will be discussed at a council meeting at 9.30pm tomorrow in Darlington Town Hall.

A public meeting will be held at the Arts Centre at 7.30pm tomorrow to discuss the future of arts in Darlington.