On track for a new world record -doing Locomotion'

Organisers of Darlington's 175th Anniversary Railway and Arts Festival hope to attract up to 2,000 adults and children to take part in a human locomotion chain.

The aim is to create a new world record for the dance which first hit the floor of discos and nightclubs in 1962, thanks to Little Eva's evergreen original version of the song.

It was also covered by Kylie Minogue 16 years later.

The Darlington version will be led by Newcastle actor Peter McGowan, who plays George Stephenson.

Stephenson built the Locomotion No.1 engine, which pulled the world's first passenger carrying steam train on the Stockton to Darlington Railway in 1825.

Those taking part in the human chain will dance past the original Locomotion No.1, which now stands in Darlington's North Road Railway Museum.

Brian Launder, of A Full Head of Steam, which is helping to organise the 175th Anniversary Railway and Arts Festival at the museum, said a representative from the Guinness Book of World Records had been signed up to adjudicate.

It will take place at 10am on Sunday, October 1, during the weekend of the railway celebration.

Mr Launder said: "We would like to get up to 2,000 people to take part to set as big a record as we can for the rest of the world to beat.

"We gave the world trains and railways and now we are giving them something else that is new."

It is hoped the Locomotion dance attempt will last at least five minutes. Radio station Alpha 103.2 will provide the music, although it has not yet been decided which version of The Locomotion will be played.

A sponsorship form will also be available for anyone taking part, to be printed in The Northern Echo.

Full details of the 175th Anniversary Railway and Arts Festival are now available (see right), although further events are still expected to be added.

Details will be announced later of where tickets - costing £5 for a full weekend or £2.50 a day - can be bought. For more information, contact (01325) 467000.

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