THE spacecraft which transported astronaut Tim Peake to and from the International Space Station has landed in the North-East.

The Soyuz TMA-19M capsule, which catapulted the astronaut from space back down to Earth at 27,000km per hour in June this year, will be stationed at Locomotion: the National Railway Museum in Shildon until January 15, 2018.

The spacecraft is on public display beneath its 25m diameter parachute and is accompanied by a virtual reality experience narrated by Tim Peake himself.

Locomotion museum manager Gary Campbell said: “This is the first national touring exhibition that the museum has hosted and it’s incredibly exciting.

“To see the capsule in person is amazing, you can even see the scorch marks on the outside from it re-entering the atmosphere, it really is incredible.

“We have the spacecraft at the museum till January and it’s free to come and see it.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity to see a fascinating historical object in real life whilst it’s in the region.”

Almost 30 students from the Sunnydale campus of Greenfield Community College visited the exhibition at Locomotion yesterday.

Sophie Nelson, 13, said: “We’ve been able to see Tim Peake’s spacecraft and take part in a virtual reality programme that makes you feel like you’re descending from space back to Earth.

“If you moved your head you could actually see flames out of the windows. It’s been really interesting and we’ve really enjoyed it.”

Speaking at the exhibition launch, Durham County Councillor Ossie Johnson, cabinet member for tourism, culture, leisure and rural issues, said the exhibition was a landmark moment for the region.

He said: “I can’t express how thrilled I am to see this Soyuz space capsule in Shildon.

“This region and indeed this historic site has been a key player in the history of manufacturing and engineering breakthroughs in this country and in fact the world.

“Locomotion is a living breathing monument to that heritage both past and future and I hope the Soyuz spacecraft being at the museum will encourage our young people to take an interest in manufacturing.”

The exhibition will run daily from now till Monday, January 15, from 10am till 4pm and admission to the museum and parking are both free.

For more information visit locomotion.org.uk/soyuz/