The transformation of Darlington Station has been finished – with a new entrance hall and car park, two new station platforms to free up capacity on the rail network and a new walkway through into the historic station.
Dignitaries and special guests marked the milestone in a celebration event on Friday morning (15 May) with a journey to York and back aboard the LNER Azuma train “Darlington” from the brand-new Platform 5, and an appearance from Darlington-built steam locomotive ‘Tornado’ on the new Platform 6.
The station project was delivered by the Tees Valley Combined Authority, Network Rail, LNER, the Department for Transport and Darlington Borough Council, with the Combined Authority contributing £45 million to the project.
The new car park includes secure parking for 654 cars, including accessible parking bays and electric car charging points.
New short stay drop off spaces, cycle parking and walkways have also been created outside the new entrance hall.
The project in numbers:
– 45 Apprentices Employed
– 2,500+ People Employed on the Project
– 1,590 Tonnes of Steel Used
– 654 New Parking Spaces
– 724,492 Labour Hours on Project
– 335 Metres of New Platform Installed
– 3,800 Metres of New Rail Installed
– 15,300 Tonnes of Rail Ballast Laid
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “Our transformation of Darlington Station is one of the most significant infrastructure projects for our region in a generation. It will deliver improved rail services, provide modern facilities for passengers and ensure the station is fit for the demands of the 21st century. Crucially, this investment will also help in strengthening our connections to London and the rest of the UK, attracting new businesses, creating jobs, and opening up new opportunities for local people.”
