We have heard similar stories on this side of the pond.

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/202 ... -ownership

My take is NRM has ownership, has continued executing loan agreements with Darlington, and with the approaching expiration of the latest loan agreement has now decided to relocate their artifact.

The lesson for all of us...clear documentation of incoming and outgoing loan agreements.

Having heard of the dispute before, yeah that’s exactly what happens

I’m on the side that it probably belongs in Darlington. I can see why they want to move it to Sheldon (as the NRM has de accessioned some pieces recently and would like some replacements) but i think it’s true place to exist is in darlington.

Also, moving it only a few years before it turns 200? Pretty cold for them to do that if I’m being honest.

This argument surfaced again last year and has been rumbling on in the Enthusiasts press for several months now, so it has taken a while for The Guardian to pick up on it.
There is a major expansion of the (N)RM at Shildon on the cards, which will enable something like an additional 40 items of stock to be displayed under cover, with the intention for it all to be completed in within the next 18 months to 2 years.
The movement of Locomotion is part of these redevelopment plans, with an eye to the 2025 Stockton - Darlington Railway bicentennial events.
It's not anything to do with them de-acsessioning items of rolling stock over the past few years, though they seem to be a law unto themselves on that front. A group I'm involved with attempted to get a goods vehicle that was in the last batch of items "up for grabs" and other than being told we were unsuccessful about 4 months ago, no announcements have been made as to where any of those items are actually going....

I made the comment about deaccessioning pieces mostly because of the T3. I know that locomotive specifically has been a big topic of discussion with the NRM more recently.

It is worth noting that Shildon itself was on the original Stockton and a Darlington Railway of 1825, so the locomotive is in context in Shildon as well as in Darlington.