The Shildon branch of the National Railway Museum is well worth a visit. It is based on the site of the former Shildon Wagon Works and contains over 100 locomotives and about 200 items of rolling stock, as well as a vast collection of other railway related items and information.
The latest addition to the museum is Search Engine, the £4 million archive and research centre. Search Engine allows visitors to view and see otherwise previously unseen artwork, papers, reports, photographs, and small artefacts. Thanks to almost £1 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund, and funds from the Higher Education Funding Council, the museum is now able to offer access to academics and interested members of the public to its vast archive collection – one of the largest and richest collections of railway related material in the world.
Please check the website for current opening times.