HOPETOWN, Darlington’s new railway attraction, opens today and is a vibrant celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway.

It should appeal to young and old alike, and to the casual visitor and the railway enthusiast alike.

It brings into public use the 1833 merchandise station, which is one of the most important early railway buildings in the country and is now reborn as the striking starting point of a journey through time.

The museum, in the 1842 North Road station, tells the story of the railway in an accessible fashion, particularly designed to enthuse children who will love the treetop play area.

The exhibition space gives a chance for some of Darlington’s curios to be seen – something that hasn’t happened since the town museum closed three decades ago.

It isn’t perfect – there are no live steam rides to make it a moving museum, although a clever piece of technology coming in September to recreate the opening day journey may make up for that.

It is a vital development for the North Road area, which needs some love and affection – a heavily graffiti’d building at the foot of the entrance steps is testimony to that.

The basic Hopetown experience is free – you could easily spend an afternoon there without paying a penny – and that, in this day and age, is quite remarkable.

The 200th anniversary of the railway is an opportunity for all our towns, from Shildon to Stockton, to upgrade their offer, and Darlington has certainly done that. Hopetown will be a worthy destination for visitors from away, but, importantly, it should attract those at home by its café and play area so that they too become engaged in their local story.

The new cafe inside the 1833 merchandise station at Hopetown, Darlington