Historic attraction will throw open doors to visitors this weekend
This Saturday and Sunday, May 17 and 18, the Tees Cottage Pumping Station in Coniscliffe Road, Darlington, will be open to visitors for the second time this year.
Visitors will not only be able to see both the beam and gas engines operating as they were would have been back in 1904 and 1914 respectively, but will be able to visit the Smithy, take a ride on a miniature train, and, of course, enjoy refreshments at the Cottage Tea Room.
This year, for the first time, the pumping station is holding a Teddy Bears Picnic for younger visitors. Ticket for this cost £10 per child – and accompanying bear – for which they will receive a picnic pack of a sandwich, crisps, cookie and a drink and will be able to enjoy a ride on a miniature train. There will also be a number of games for young visitors to participate in.
Tickets are available on the door, but those for the Teddy Bear's Picnic must be purchased in advance by calling 07493 173123. Full details can be found at www.teescottage.co.uk
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Glasgow rail travellers warned of rush-hour disruption amid problem
Glasgow rail travellers have been warned of rush-hour disruption amid an issue this morning. Network Rail Scotland is currently dealing with a signalling fault in the Cathcart area. Due to the problem, ScotRail said services in the area may be delayed or altered. Engineers are on their way to the area to deal with the fault. READ MORE: ScotRail making major change at Glasgow Central Station NEW: We've been advised by @NetworkRailSCOT that they are currently dealing with a signalling fault in the Cathcart area. Teams are heading to the site to carry out inspections, services here will be subject to delay and alteration at this time. — ScotRail (@ScotRail) June 10, 2025
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Hotel experts reveal UK spots with best 5-star stays (one is just £56 a night)
When finding a place to stay in the UK or abroad, you want to make sure you are getting the best hotel you can. The UK is home to many top stays, and some of the more luxurious sites are more accessible than you think. Today, has released its 2025 Hotel Price Index to find the best value stays and the destinations "where the pound will go further". Here are the key findings, including where in the UK you can find some luxury stays. The Hotel Price Index by analyses global year-on-year average daily rates in the most popular international and domestic destinations and delves into the variation between star ratings. It compares average daily rates of three, four and five-star hotels from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024. It also compares year-over-year average daily rates from the same period compared to January 1 to December 31 in 2023, across the most popular international and domestic destinations for Brits. reveals the best UK spots for 5-star stays For the 2025 Hotel Price Index, has highlighted some of its key findings. It said that domestic prices remain more affordable, with hotel rates here averaging at £97 per night compared to a rise to £140 per night abroad. also revealed that five-star luxury hotels in the UK are 21% cheaper than abroad. Popular cities such as Manchester, Bath and Brighton boast some deals that are less than £200, it said. also advised those looking to stretch their wallets by going five-star to do it in the UK rather than abroad, with five-star rates averaging at £177 a night compared to £222 a night abroad. For travellers who want a five-star stay, close to home, you can find the best value in these UK destinations with stays under £200 a night: Swindon: £56 a night York: £170 a night Manchester: £171 a night Bath: £193 a night Newcastle: £195 a night Among the most popular cities for Brits booking five-star stays are Brighton, at £106 per night, Cardiff, at £150 per night, and London, which sits higher at £306 per night. The new Hotel Price Index also revealed some of the UK's "four-star sweet spots". analysis showed that four-star hotels offer the best value for travellers looking to upgrade their stays abroad. Manchester was one of the best value five-star hotel spots (Image: Getty Images) It said the average daily rate is just 41% higher than three-star properties. Meanwhile, five-star hotels cost, on average, 63% more than four-star hotels, with domestic hotels seeing roughly the same increases. says the best value for domestic four-star stays includes Aberdeen, Derby and Milton Keynes, all of which have rates under the four-star average of £110 a night. Best international hotels for 5-star stays new index reveals that some international destinations, including Orlando (-7%) and Las Vegas (-4%) saw declines in hotel prices. Meanwhile, high-demand destinations like Tokyo (+15%), Seville (+13%) and Madrid (+13%) experienced an increase. It said that for travellers looking for more affordable trending destinations that are growing in popularity should try Bangkok, Thailand (average daily rate of £77 a night) and Kraków, Poland (average daily rate of £90 a night). said the following international cities not only have five-star hotels under £200 but have seen a jump in popularity over the past year: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: £108 a night Bangkok. Thailand: £123 a night Prague, Czech Republic: £136 a night Istanbul, Turkey: £137 a night Doha, Qatar: £173 a night It added that destinations like Bangkok and Istanbul "offer five-star stays at almost three-star prices, redefining the meaning of affordable indulgence". Recommended reading: Looking to explore Britain by rail? Here are the best hotels near train stations European destination with cheap meals is best value holiday for Brits, report says Vrbo reveals UK's best holiday homes in 2025 for an 'unforgettable' staycation Melanie Fish, travel expert at said: 'For price-conscious travellers in today's economy, the Hotel Price Index offers a rare, data-driven lens into where your money goes furthest. "It's like a travel cheat sheet — revealing where to splurge, where to save, and where luxury quietly costs less. 'Cities like Bangkok, Budapest and Bristol stand out for offering top-rated stays across all star levels, proving that great travel doesn't have to come with a high price tag."
New York Times
4 hours ago
- New York Times
Planes, ferries and mini-buses with Aston Villa's long-distance supporters: ‘It's more than the game'
It is an evening in early May and The Athletic joins the call. Smiling faces beam back. There are several, more than anticipated and, for the first few seconds, it feels overwhelming. They are each sitting in their homes, not in Birmingham, where Aston Villa are based, but 200 miles away in the county of Cornwall, England's extreme south-western peninsula. 'Our closest game is Bournemouth (circa 145 miles) but watching Villa is definitely still the quickest to get to,' says Andy. Andy is a member of the Cornwall Lions, a Villa supporters group based in the south-west that has amassed more than 250 local members. But it is far from the only supporters group geographically distant from Villa. Their stories vary, but each of them shares on thing: a mutual love of Villa. Here, The Athletic spoke to some of the team's long-distance supporters who make the journey through rain or shine, hell or high water, to Villa Park… Jay White lives on the Isle of Wight. Born and bred in Birmingham, he has resided on the island off the southern coast of England for more than a quarter of a century, though his passion remains. To get to Villa Park he has to travel by boat and car, with logistical and financial pressures complicating matters. Advertisement 'For context, my dad is Peter White,' Jay says. 'He's retired now, but he covered Villa in the 70s, 80s and 90s for the Birmingham Mail. It was ingrained into me. I've had a season ticket sitting in the Lower Holte End for four years. Before that, I didn't need one because I could always get tickets. 'My wife comes to a few games. I don't want to say our life revolves around Villa, but on occasions it can. I was fortunate enough for both of us to be in Paris (for the Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain). 'For other Champions League games, I've had to use holiday. I'll take a half day on the day of the game, stay up and then drive back down for work that afternoon. 'If it's a Saturday match, sometimes I'll go the night before. But mostly, for a 3pm kick off, I'll leave home at 7am to catch the ferry, which takes around an hour. The drive up into Birmingham's city centre is three and a half hours. I'll then meet pals. 'If I do come back straight after, it would be the 10pm ferry, provided we get out of the ground by six. I'll then walk through my front door just before midnight. 'I did 20 games last season, including a few Champions League matches. The cost is a problem. If an average ferry is £80, then staying up in a hotel, having a couple of beers and petrol costs means it becomes £250/£300 day. That's before you take into account a match ticket. 'But it's just a pure love. It's more than the game — it's meeting up with mates and camaraderie. The football we're playing now makes the journeys better. Luckily, my wife is very understanding. Our wedding last year had a claret-and-blue-themed table plan.' In the early hours of a January morning, Rob Steele sits next to me in one of Heathrow's departure lounges. Villa are playing Monaco that evening and despite a 6am flight, there is no shortage of enthusiasm. Rob, who lives in Bridgend in Wales, about 130 miles from Birmingham, is used to early morning starts in aid of Villa. 'The journey to Birmingham is fine most of the time,' he says. 'We set off a bit earlier to make sure we get a tidy parking spot and then we kill time in the Witton Pub.' Later in the season, he describes his itinerary for a home match against Newcastle: 'My main accessory is a portable charger. I can't be having a dead phone with the drive from South Wales. It wasn't such an issue with physical season-tickets, but with them now on my phone, you've got to have a backup plan. Advertisement 'I go with mates, so we sort who is driving — and organise pickup times — a couple of us live in Bridgend and some in Cardiff. For tonight's 5.30pm kick off, I'll leave Bridgend with my mate Nik at 11am. At 12pm, pick up one of the lads in Cardiff. At 2pm, park up and get some food. '5pm: Head to Villa Park. 5.30-7.30pm: Stress like hell about the game. 10.15pm: Home.' Bryan, one of the Cornwall supporters, explains his support for Villa over the video call: 'My family are from Essex, we moved to Hampshire when I was four. My dad supported Villa and we had season tickets driving from Hampshire for six years. I relocated here five years ago. Me and my lad George don't have season tickets, but we travel to as many games as we can.' 'I'm from North Kent,' says Stuart, another Villa supporter on the call. 'My dad was Tottenham, my mum was Arsenal. I got to the middle of junior school and I had to stick with a team. Villa chose me.' Karen: 'I was born in Sutton Coldfield, but my family came from different parts and just congregated in Birmingham. But I've got a great-grandmother who was a proper Brummie and family that were there before Villa's inception, so it's in my blood. I'm still a season ticket holder. I join the guys on the mini-bus — when we lose, it's like a hearse.' Andy: 'I'm from Great Barr. I used to walk to Villa Park with my dad and grandpa. I've been going since 1984. I had a hiatus after I moved down to Cornwall and started picking it back up in 2016. My first game back was with my boy in the Championship and we've been season-ticket holders for the best part of 10 years. 'We were going up on the train before I met Dave. We will car share up to Exeter and then make our own way, by hook or by crook. It's a labour of love and a 500-mile round trip every couple of days.' Stuart: 'For a Saturday 3pm, the mini-bus that some of our members arrange sets off at 9am. We aim to be up there two hours before.' Dave: 'With a pit stop at the Witton Pub for a couple of beverages.' Andy: 'For a 12.30 kick off, we hit the road just after six. Rousing my 16-year-old son takes time, but we are there for 10am. For Champions League nights, I was picking up from school and arriving 7pm. The journey is four hours on a good day.' Advertisement Dave: 'I was getting back from those games at 4.30am and then going to work about 10am. If you're not there, we have a big WhatsApp chat that you almost feel like you're at the game. We've got group chats for tickets, events, banter and matchday talk.' Karen: 'When you're somewhere like Cornwall, you're so far apart from each other. I live in a village and I've got two other Villa supporters here, so that helps any sort of isolation.' Bryan: 'When George and I go, we've had to buy higher-priced tickets because they were the only ones available. Throw in hotel accommodation and a couple of beers, it's expensive. We can't really stay on a Sunday night after games because George's school doesn't particularly like us missing Mondays. It's tricky to manage.' George: 'I don't think school is very important when it comes to Villa! It's painful when you go back to all your friends at school the next day who are United fans but have never been to the ground. They give it the big one all the time, for some reason.' The following week, I'm joined by Andrew Bready in the Villa Park press box. I first met Andrew in Athens before Villa's Conference League semi-final against Olympiacos last May. He commutes to every home and away match — barring the odd Carabao Cup fixture — from Northern Ireland and has been for 15 years. 'My love of Villa began in the early 90s,' he says. 'Villa came to Belfast to play against Man United and my cousins were going and were United fans. I just wanted to be different. I said, 'I'm supporting Villa'. I caught the bug after that. 'I missed three games in the Championship, home or away. Since Covid, I've rarely missed one. I didn't go to Brentford last season because I was at a wedding. I've not missed any other games aside from the Carabao Cup. 'Matches during the week are not ideal. For the Celtic match, I flew from Belfast at 3.30pm. To avoid missing a day off work (Andrew works in a factory managed by his cousin), I worked until lunchtime, got changed and drove to the airport, which takes an hour. 'I then fly over, go to Villa Park and fly back the next morning — usually the 8.35am flight. I'll land an hour later, drive home 70 miles and be back at work for 11am. The next day after the game at Paris Saint-Germain, I was back at work for lunchtime. I'll go straight to Belfast after early-evening kick-offs and will land at 1am. Advertisement 'Delayed flights are a pain. Ipswich Town away, I flew to Stansted. The flight was delayed by over three hours. The plan had been to meet Kevin and hire a car to drive up, but I was delayed so I ended up getting a bus. The drive felt like forever, but I only missed 10 minutes. 'It's nice to get the summer off, yet by the time the season starts, I'll have that buzz again. I sit in the Lower Trinity Stand, so it's good to meet up with the Villa family; the people you know from sitting around them.'
