A VIRGIN Trains mainline engine has been named in honour of the newly reopened Darlington Hippodrome, and The Northern Echo is privileged to have one of the four engine nameplates to give away.

It is a unique prize, marrying up two of Darlington’s greatest claims to historical fame: the railways and the theatre. Only four nameplates have been made: two are on the engine, one has been presented to the Hippodrome - and the fourth could be yours.

The Northern Echo: Cllr Nick Wallis and David Horne, of Virgin Trains, revealing the Darlington Hippodrome engine nameplate on the theatre stage last week

Cllr Nick Wallis and David Horne, of Virgin Trains, revealing the Darlington Hippodrome engine nameplate on the theatre stage last week

The tie-up between Virgin Trains and the Hippodrome, where the first show opens tomorrow after its £13.7m restoration, is a link back to the Edwardian era when the theatre first opened only a few hundred yards from Darlington’s Bank Top station.

In those days, hundreds of actors were transported around the country on a Sunday evening as they moved from booking to booking, ready to start their week-long run in their new venue on the Monday.

In Darlington, there was only one train into Bank Top station in the years on either side of the First World War. It carried the week’s supply of actors – and the week’s supply of another important commodity.

“This harks back to the early 20th Century tradition of the ‘fish and actors special’, which carried fish to the town on a Sunday to sell during the week, as well as the actors, their entourage, sets and even animals which would all perform at the theatre,” said theatre director Lynda Winstanley.

Locomotive 91 126 will bear the name Darlington Hippodrome as it travels the east coast mainline.

David Horne, managing director of Virgin Trains on the east coast, said: “Thousands of people will see the name on the side of our locomotive as it travels across the UK and we look forward to welcoming on-board theatre-goers as well as continuing the long standing tradition of actors and performers taking the train to work at the Darlington Hippodrome.”

  • To stand a chance of winning this extraordinary prize, simply tell us the nickname of the Sunday evening train that used to carry thespians to the Hippodrome?
  • Either email your answer to echo@nne.co.uk (you must put “Hippodrome” in the subject field) or post to Hippodrome Competition, The Northern Echo, Priestgate, Darlington DL1 1NF.
  • Closing date for entries: midday, December 4. Only one entry per email address. The lucky winner’s name will be drawn. The editor’s decision is final.