An estimated 15,000 people lined the route between Shildon and Darlington today as the Stockton and Darlington Railway marked its 200th anniversary.
From early morning, the excitement was clear. People began queueing outside Locomotion in Shildon at 8.45am with thousands flooding through the doors when the museum opened.
About 3,000 people arrived to see both the restored original Locomotion No 1 inside the museum and the gleaming replica built to celebrate the milestone.
The replica stood at the end of the old tracks near Shildon station before making its first run at 10.55am.
A surprise guest, Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, arrived by helicopter and joined the footplate for the short journey into the museum grounds.
He then met the public before touring the museum and travelling directly on to Darlington.
Later, the replica moved onto the mainline, running through the historic Heighington station, where hundreds turned out to watch it pass along the world’s first railway platform.
Several had travelled hundreds, if not thousands of miles, to be present for the historic event.
The mood of the day was summed up by one of them, Louise Jones, 39, from Alfreton, Derbyshire, who left home at 6.30am to see the spectacle.
She said: “It was amazing to see it moving. My dad used to work on the railways. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see what it would have looked like 200 years ago.”
At 12.35pm the Duke arrived at Hopetown in Darlington. He toured the museum and the carriage works exhibitions before leaving the region by helicopter.
Organisers estimate that 15,000 people gathered along the route to see the locomotive steam once again on the original railway.
The anniversary marks two centuries since the line first carried passengers and goods in 1825, a moment seen as the birth of the modern railway.
The celebrations continue today (September 27) as the spotlight moves to the replica Locomotion No 1 as it makes its journey across Skerne Bridge, with the action streamed live on the big screen in the town's Market Place.
Families and visitors are being urged to “be part of the buzz” and witness this once-in-a-lifetime spectacle as it recreated the 'famous' painting of the Locomotion No 1 crossing the bridge.
Skerne Bridge Car Park has been transformed into a prime viewing area as Locomotion No 1 makes multiple crossings between 12pm and 1.20pm. Free tickets for the bridge viewing have already been snapped up but the Market Place screening ensures nobody misses out.
On Sunday, the replica makes its way to Stockton over night and remains there all day until 1pm. The Locomotion will then stop at Rochester Road for about 40 minutes for people to be able to get an unobstructed, elevated view of the replica before the festivities of the weekend come to a close.
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