Shildon Circular Guided Walk
2022-02-13 08:00 - 17:00 (Europe/London) | Locomotion, Shildon, Dale Road, Shildon, DL4 2RE, United Kingdom
Saturday 13th February 2022. A walk led by the Brusselton Incline Group ending at Locomotion. Further details to follow.

Walking the Line - Haggerleases Branch Line West Auckland to Low Lands
2022-03-14 10:30 - 14:30 | West Auckland, Station Road, West Auckland
This is the first of two walks to explore what survives of the Haggerleases branch line opened in 1830 and whether any heritage features found require conservation. We will photograph any features found and provide an accurate grid reference and make management recommendations. We will also look at the current state of the access and interpretation and whether it needs improving. The walk will be a return trip so that we can view the remains from both directions – it is often easy to miss hidden features amongst vegetation and this helps to spot them.
We will walk from the former site of West Auckland Colliery heading west passed Spring Gardens, Craggwood, Evenwood and to Lands. Then we will turn back towards West Auckland. The total mileage will be about 6.6 miles over relatively level but sometimes muddy terrain. The main piece of rough ground is in Craggwood if we walk through the woods north of the caravan park.
If you would like to join us on this walk, please email Caroline at caroline@aenvironment.co.uk and say which walk you’d like to join (or both). I will send you joining instructions/directions and screen shots of historic maps and some background information.
Please also provide your mobile phone number (in case we need to contact each other in the morning due to alterations in the programme and an ICE (in Case of Emergency) contact should you find that the excitement has all been too much for you. I will give you my mobile phone number in case you need to contact me on the morning of the walk. Please note, I have given no finishing time for these walks as it will take as long as it takes to find the features of interest and record them. I’d certainly bring snacks and a water bottle.

Gaunless Bridge Cleaning Party
2022-03-15 10:00 - 12:00 | Stationmaster’s House, West Auckland, West Auckland, DL14 9EX
Welly (or sturdy boot) owning people with a can-do attitude are invited to join in a clean-up of the Gaunless Bridge abutment area at West Auckland/St. Helen Auckland on Tuesday 15th March for about 2 hours.
You will be supervised by representatives of Historic England and the Wear Tees River Trust. Meet at the former Stationmaster’s house (NZ 18511 26590 or DL14 9ET) at 10am. There is some parking there but it might be easier if you park on Leazes Lane and walk down to the house – the track is parallel to the right of way that leads to the abutments).
Any questions? Email John Raw at jraw2883@aol.com.

Walking the Line - The Slack to Low Lands
2022-03-19 10:30 - 15:30 | The Slack, B6282,, Butterknowle, DL13 5HX
Walking the Line – Haggerleases Branch Line. The Slack to Lands – Friday 19th March 10.30am
The second walk is from The Slack to Lands. This is 1.3 miles each way but there is much more to see so it is likely to take a while. The walk can also be extended to include the additional length of branch line added between 1839 and 1856 south of Butterknowle. Our objective and methodology is the same as walk 1.
We will start at the terminus of the branch line and walk across the open access area of Cockfield Fell following the branch line to Lands, then return again. There is likely to be more criss-crossing of the area as we look for remains. You might even find wellies useful
If you would like to join us on This walk, please email Caroline at caroline@aenvironment.co.uk and say which walk you’d like to join (or both). I will send you joining instructions/directions and screen shots of historic maps and some background information.
Please also provide your mobile phone number (in case we need to contact each other in the morning due to alterations in the programme and an ICE (in Case of Emergency) contact should you find that the excitement has all been too much for you. I will give you my mobile phone number in case you need to contact me on the morning of the walk. Please note, I have given no finishing time for these walks as it will take as long as it takes to find the features of interest and record them. I’d certainly bring snacks and a water bottle.

Zoom meeting on the 24th March to discuss HE's approach to reviewing designations at the two inclines
2022-03-24 19:00 - 20:30 | Online
A zoom meeting with Eric at Historic England to discuss his approach to reviewing the designation of the two inclines and the level area across the Gaunless in between. It will be on the 24th March at 7pm. Please feel free to invite other members of the relevant area groups too.
You might like to think about to what extent the existing designations are appropriate and whether we need to extend them to include sample areas of features such as culverts and drains, the reservoir at Brusselton, approach ramps, what to do with tunnels and level crossings and the cropmark in the field that was open casted, but not completely!
Email caroline@aenvironment.co.uk for the zoom links.

WASH Riverbank clean
2022-04-01 08:00 - 17:00 | Stationmaster’s House, West Auckland, DL14 9EX, United Kingdom
W A S H together with its partners have arranged a further clean up of the riverbank
Wednesday 6th April meet at the former station masters house St Helen 9.30 for 9.45
sturdy boots sturdy gloves Refreshments use of toilets courteous of W A S H
you will need a can do attitude For further details contact jraw2883@aol.com

Bicentenary of the laying of the first rail on the Stockton & Darlington Railway on the 23 May
2022-05-23 | Eaglescliffe Station
To commemorate the bicentenary of the laying of the first rail on the Stockton & Darlington Railway on the 23 May 1822, we are walking from Eaglescliffe Station to the Town Hall on Stockton High Street on the 23rd May 2022, then on to St. John’s Crossing.
For anyone interested in doing the walk please meet at Eaglescliffe Station at 11.00 am for the start at 11.15 am.
Some people will be coming by train which arrives in Eaglescliffe at 11.10 am. The route which will follow as near as possible to the original route with a few stops and minor detours is about 4 miles.
We should arrive at the Town Hall in Stockton around 2.00 pm so for anyone who does not wish to do the walk they are welcome to meet there, but the next part of the event is only open to members as numbers need to be limited.
Together we will walk down the High Street, continue along Bridge Road to St. John’s Crossing where the First Rail was laid by Thomas Meynell 200 years ago at 3.00 pm.
After Mr Meynell’s “speech” we will head back up Bridge Road and for anyone who would like refreshments we are calling into the Thomas Sheraton – Thomas & Thomas.
For anyone who is interested please contact Peter Bainbridge – membership.sdr1825@virginmedia.com
Please note that there are a limited number of places on the walk from the High Street to St. John’s Crossing as there is only a small space around the interpretation board and sculptures outside the buildings at St. John’s Crossing. Stockton Borough Council do not want large groups of visitors in this area due to it’s proximity at a very busy road junction having 2 busy 4 lane roads. Therefore this part of the event is only open to members.

Rail Heritage Quarter Walkabout
2022-06-07 10:00 - 12:30 | Hopetown
Friends are invited to join me on a walkabout around the Rail Heritage Quarter in Darlington on Tuesday the 7th June at 10am starting at the front of the Head of Steam Museum.
Darlington Borough Council with support from a number of other stakeholders is starting a major £25m programme of restoration and interpretation at the RHQ. As part of this a Conservation Management Plan is required to ensure better long term conservation and management of the site. This is an opportunity for the Friends to feed into that Conservation Management Plan.
The walkabout will concentrate on the outside of the buildings so we won’t be going inside any of them (detailed reports have already been written on many of them and these can be found on our web site).
Instead, the sort of things we will discuss might include: the appearance of the buildings and issues of maintenance; inter-visibility versus tree planting for wildlife; how to improve access between buildings versus vandalism; what research is still required; how to develop good working relationships between the Council and future building tenants (which could be us) and/or volunteers; options to interpret some of the structures not currently part of the proposals; does the Conservation Area capture the railway character of the area; and what opportunities does the site offer for future interpretation and research. Importantly we can also discuss what role the Friends might have in achieving any of this. I’ll introduce each building and its history as we go around.
We will specifically look at:

Skerne Bridge
The site of the first Merchandising Station
The bridge over High Northgate
The gates from Gloucester Villa (time permitting)
The Goods Agents Offices
The Goods Shed
North Road Station and museum building
The Lime Depot
Hopetown Carriageworks
The site of Kitching’s Foundry and
the big green space/ site of the former scrap yard

As with all Friends’ outings, the duration of this will depend on how much we all have to say, but I would allow at least 2.5 hours. Bring water and a snack; you could always bring a picnic for afterwards.
If you intend coming, please email me at caroline@aenvironment.co.uk and also provide the following information:
Your mobile phone number (in case we need to contact each other in the morning due to alterations in the programme)
An ICE (in Case of Emergency) contact should you find that the excitement has all been too much for you.
I will give you my mobile phone number when you sign up in case you need to contact me on the morning of the walk.
Caroline Hardie

2022-06-09 09:00 - 12:00 | Stationmaster’s House, West Auckland, DL14 9EX, United Kingdom
Invite!
Working with our partners the Gaunless Gateway, there is to be a general tidy up around the Gaunless abutments and also the graveyard of St. Helen parish church DL14 (where several S&DR key players are buried) on Thursday 9th June.
Meet for breakfast (bacon tea coffee etc) in the Arc St. Helen parish church from 9.00am. As with previous tidies, tea /toilets will be provided care of the former station masters house of 1872 at St Helen’s. Sturdy footwear and a can-do attitude are essential. Do bring any hand tools you can. High Viz vests will be provided.

Anniversary walk in Shildon
2022-07-17 14:00 - 17:00 | Shildon Railway Institute, Shildon, DL4 2JJ, United Kingdom
SUNDAY 17th JULY – The anniversary of the opening of the Timothy Hackworth Museum in Timothy Hackworth’s House (Soho) in 1975 –At SHILDON RAILWAY INSTITUTE with area groups . Afternoon Walk from the STUTE to the historic buildings at Locomotion and Timothy Hackworth’s House. (To be organised by the STUTE and the Friends of the S&DR).

BOOK LAUNCH: S&DR - THE YARM BRANCH
2022-07-27 18:30 - 20:00 | Cleveland Bay Pub, Eaglescliffe, Eaglescliffe

Visit the the gardens of Thomas Storey
2022-08-07 11:30 - 16:30 | 67 Manor Road, St. Helen Auckland, DL14 9ER
Visit the gardens first laid out by Thomas Storey of the S&DR. This event is part of the National Garden Scheme and costs £4 for adults which is donated to charity. Children can attend for free and dogs are also welcome.
Storey’s former house is at 67 Manor Road, St. Helen Auckland.
THOMAS STOREY (1789-1859)
Storey was one of the many talented people brought to the S&DR through their connections with George Stephenson. Born in Makemerich near Ponteland and educated at Stamfordham, he served an apprenticeship as a mining engineer in Lancashire, then Wales and Shropshire. He was related to George Stephenson through marriage to his wife Elizabeth and so he was released from his employment in 1822 in order to join Stephenson on the Stockton & Darlington Railway. He moved to St. Helen Auckland to be near his work and spent the rest of his life there.
Between 1822 and 1825, Thomas was in charge of the construction of the S&DR from Witton Park to Heighington Lane (now on the edge of Newton Aycliffe). He oversaw the construction of the first enginemen’s houses.
As engineer to the S&DR, his work included supervising the construction of the Haggerleases branch line, designing the skew bridge near the terminus, surveying the Middlesbrough branch line (and the alternative route not chosen at Haverton Hill) in 1827. He attended parliamentary committees to be cross examined on the proposed Middlesbrough branch in 1828, designed a stone bridge to cross the old route of the river Tees, oversaw and contracted out the work on the Middlesbrough branch – much of his work overlapping with his work on the Haggerleases. He also designed and oversaw the construction of the Goods Shed at North Road in Darlington between 1832-3, designed new bridges as part of the widening of the S&DR mainline in 1831-3 and trained up the S&DR’s next engineer John Harris who took over in 1836.
No wonder at the opening ceremony of the Haggerleases branch, one of the many toasts was to ‘– “Mr Storey”, to whose professional skill and individual perseverance the Company and the public are alike indebted”.
He was the consulting engineer for the Prince of Wales tunnel at Shildon. He projected and formed the Great North of England Railway, of which he was the Engineer-in-chief. That included surveying the line between Darlington and York and building 77 bridges between the two towns. Only one of them collapsed!
He also projected and formed the Auckland and Weardale Railway, built the first Bishop Auckland station, and he was engaged on various other lines.
After leaving the NER he set up a smaller business in St. Helen Auckland. In that capacity he built houses including a row in Flintoff Street (off Newgate Street) in Bishop Auckland in the mid 1840s. Flintoff was his daughter Hannah’s married name.
‘In person, Mr. Storey was tall and athletic, and capable of undergoing great fatigue. He possessed great decision of character, and was deservedly respected for his strict integrity and honesty of purpose. He was as scrupulously just, as an employer, towards those who served under him, as he had been when an agent, to those under whom he served. During the last few years, he lived in retirement, his health not permitting him to undertake any great public work.’
He lived on what is now called 67 Manor Road in St. Helen Auckland at the time of his death (at the time this was called Main Road or Front Street). He died after a short illness, on the 15th of October 1859, aged seventy years old. This was only three days after Robert Stephenson whose death dominated the local press.

S&DR 197th Anniversary Event
2022-09-24 08:00 - 2022-09-25 17:00 | To be announced
SATURDAY 24th and SUNDAY 25th SEPTEMBER – Celebrating the 197th Anniversary of the Opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway – at Shildon and Darlington. More details to follow.

S&DR 197th anniversary walk
2022-09-27 08:00 - 17:00 | New Inn Crossroads at Phoenix Row, DL14 ODQ
TUESDAY 27th SEPTEMBER – The actual 197th Anniversary – Walk Witton Colliery via Phoenix Row and Etherley to West Auckland and the Station Master’s House (To be led by Members of Etherley incline & Witton Park Group and WASH).

Friends of the S&DR AGM 2022
2022-10-22 | Locomotion, Shildon, Dale Road, Shildon, DL4 2RE, United Kingdom
Our annual AGM will be held at the Welcome building (former Sunday School) at Locomotion from 10.30am – 4.30pm. This will include speakers on the Shildon Coal Drops, progress towards 2025, Edward Pease’s House in Darlington and the film The Laying of the First Rail.
The full programme for the day can be found here: Friends AGM 22 October 2022
The papers for the AGM can be found here: Combined papers for AGM for circulation but only members can vote

The ‘HIGHLAND RAILWAY – The Line & Stations that opened from 1855 to 1863’
2023-05-24 08:00 - 17:00 | Sunday School Building, Locomotion Museum, Soho Street, Shildon, DL4 1PG, Sunday School Building, Soho Street, Shildon, DL4 1PG
The ‘HIGHLAND RAILWAY – The Line & Stations that opened from 1855 to 1863’ by KEN HODGSON
A long time Member of the FNRM, Ken is a fantastic photographer and speaker.
Saturday 27th May 2023 in the SUNDAY SCHOOL BUILDING at LOCOMOTION, SHILDON, DL4 1PG. (See location on a map)
Doors open 10am for 10.30 am

Entrance is free and tea & coffee will be available.

Walking the Line - Preston Park
2023-07-14 10:40 - 14:30 | Preston Park, Yarm Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 3RH

Visit to Tanfield Railway
2023-08-17 10:30 - 17:00 | Tanfield Railway, DH9 9UY
17 August (Thursday) – Visit to Tanfield Railway.
Arrive 10.30am at Andrews House car park.
Tour of yard area, shed, workshops, etc. (toilets available in carriage shed)
Buffet lunch in Andrews House Station (toilets available)
Guided walk along the track from Andrews House to Causey.
See waggonway interpretation site and Causey Arch.
Continue to East Tanfield Station and on the way see site of Engine house archaeological dig.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanfield_Railway
The wearing of stout footwear is advisable and clothes you don’t mind getting dirty.
Anyone who does not want to walk can see inside the signal box and have extra time at Marley Hill.
For those attending I suggest we make a donation towards the cost of the buffet – Tanfield Railway is a registered charity.
This event is being organised for the Friends by Angela Pickering who is the “Bright Spark” at Tanfield Railway.

Visit to the National Railway Museum, York
2023-08-29 11:00 - 17:00 | National Railway Museum, York
29 August (Tuesday) – Visit to the National Railway Museum, York – guided tour around parts of the extensive archive department.
Arrive 11.00 am at the NRM – location to be decided, will send final information for those who are on the visit. You will make your own way to the museum.
Group size 10 maximum, anyone who has been previously cannot be included.

Shildon Circular Railway Guided Walk
2023-09-09 10:00 - 13:00 | Locomotion, Shildon, Dale Road, Shildon, DL4 2RE, United Kingdom
Discover Shildon’s historic place in the industrial revolution with this circular walk between the key sites in the world’s first railway town though the story of the Stockton & Darlington Railway and Timothy Hackworth.
This circular walk will take around 3-4 hours to complete at a gentle pace. We will start outside the collection building at Locomotion at 10am and begin our walk through the museum site discovering the history of the surviving buildings. The walk will take the route of one of the original rope hauled branch lines serving Black Boy quarry, taking in the Shildon Tunnel and then taking a return route through town via an original coach station. The tour will then look at how the railway shaped the lives of the people who worked on it and the town of Shildon.
Comfortable walking shoes are required. We will meet outside the front of the Locomotion collection building at 10am. Museum is signed from main road.
Email Jonathan Ratcliffe at jonathan.a.ratcliffe@gmail.com with the name of the attendees, a contact number and email address to book your place.

198th Anniversary event at Locomotion Shildon
2023-09-23 10:00 - 2023-09-24 16:00 | Locomotion, Shildon, Dale Road, Shildon, DL4 2RE, United Kingdom
The Friends of the S&DR is celebrating the 198th Anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway over the weekend of 23rd and 24th September at Locomotion, Shildon, Co Durham DL4 2RE from 10am to 4pm each day.
The Friends and its associated groups will have stalls together with heritage displays and there will be other exciting events (See Locomotion’s Website).
We are pleased to announce that there will be talk on Sat 23rd Sept. at 11am –
TIMOTHY HACKWORTH, the man who engineered a future for the Locomotive by Prof Mike Norman.
Please note that the talk will take place in the Sunday School Building at the historic end of Locomotion’s site (the Sunday School is situated on the corner of Soho Street and Station Street, Shildon, Co Durham DL4 1PQ). The talk is free and commences at 11am with doors open at 10.30am
‘The delivery of power to the steam locomotive was the key to its adoption and success. What ends with the engineering accomplishments of Sir Nigel Gresley started with the engineering achievements of Timothy Hackworth. His story includes the missed opportunity of Hackworth’s most powerful design, the markers he laid down for the Stockton and Darlington Railway before they were taken up and used by others and his unique contribution to the works at Shildon’.
MIKE NORMAN:
Mike’s background in IT was at the forefront of the technology of the Information Revolution & he now draws on that experience in defining the pioneering key developments of the Steam Locomotive. He is the author of ‘It Wasn’t Rocket Science’-a biography of the life and times of Timothy Hackworth which, set during preparations for the 1893 Chicago Exposition, is told through the eyes of a grandson.
PLEASE BOOK A PLACE – Please go on Locomotion’s Website into Events where you can book a place for the talk at this page or email the Secretary of the Friends: Jonathan.ratcliffe@sdr1825.org.uk who can place the booking for you.

198th anniversary Garden Party (members only)
2023-09-27 10:00 - 14:00 | Stationmaster’s House, West Auckland, DL14 9EX, United Kingdom
At 12:12pm on the 27th September there will be a celebratory garden party at Station House, Station Road, St Helen Auckland, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 9EX with a short walk along the line to Hummerbeck bridge. Please email John Raw (jraw2883@aol.com) if you’re intending to attend for catering purposes.

Friends' AGM 2023
2023-10-28 | Georgian Theatre, Stockton, Green Dragon Yard,, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1AT
The date for our AGM this year will be Saturday 28th of October and will be held at the Georgian Theatre in Stockton. Details still to be announced.

Limestone Quarry, East Thickley and Locomotion Shed 2
2023-11-04 11:00 - 14:00 | Locomotion, Shildon, Dale Road, Shildon, DL4 2RE, United Kingdom
Details yet to be announced. Watch this space!

December Meeting & Christmas Social
2023-12-07 19:00 - 21:00 | The Railway Tavern, Darlington, High Northgate, Darlington, DL1 1UN, United Kingdom
We’ve reached the final meeting of the year and as is tradition, we will be holding a shortened December meeting at the Railway Tavern, High Northgate, Darlington followed by a bring and share buffet. There will also be book stalls and Caroline will be bringing a selection of fantastic Railway Station giftware, so you can buy S&DR themed presents for Christmas!
Please bring along a contribution of finger food for the buffet (there is no cutlery etc. at the tavern so please make sure that all food can be eaten with fingers!) Christmas jumpers, Santa hats etc. are optional but highly encouraged. Good cheer is essential.
Members can find the papers in the members area, non-members are welcome to come along and see what we do although will have no vote on agenda items. You can sign up for membership on the night.
The agenda is available to download here: 2023-12-07 FSDR Meeting Agenda

Talk: The History of the Stockton & Darlington Railway
2024-01-24 18:00 - 20:30 | Friends Meeting House Darlington, 6 Skinnergate, Darlington, DL3 7NB
The North East Region of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers is pleased to present a talk on the History of The Stockton and Darlington Railway by Caroline Hardie.
The presentation will be in the Elm Meeting room of the Darlington Friends Meeting House, 6 Skinnergate, Darlington DL3 7NB, at 6pm on Wednesday January 24th 2024.
Attendance is free and Members and non-members of the IMechE are welcome to attend – so Friends of the S&DR can attend.
Please register using the link below at The Stockton & Darlington Railway – The Railway that got the World on Track (imeche.org) as numbers are limited.
https://nearyou.imeche.org/…/North-Eastern/event-detail…

February 2024 Members Meeting
2024-02-01 19:00 - 21:00 | Darlington Cricket Club, THE CLUB HOUSE Feethams South Terrace, Darlington, DL1 5JD, United Kingdom
Our February 2024 Members Meeting will be held at Darlington Cricket Club. Non-members are welcome to attend but will not be able to vote on items.
Papers will be sent to members and published here the Monday before the meeting.

G5 Open Day
2024-03-02 11:00 - 15:00 | g5 Locomotive Ltd., Unit 8S, Hackworth Industrial Park, Shildon, DL4 1HF
Enjoy a tour of the G5 locomotive works followed by a social drink.
Contact John Raw for more information
jraw2883@aol.com

March 2024 Member's Meeting
2024-03-07 19:00 - 21:00 | Darlington Cricket Club, THE CLUB HOUSE Feethams South Terrace, Darlington, DL1 5JD, United Kingdom
Our March 2024 Members Meeting will be held at Darlington Cricket Club. Non-members are welcome to attend but will not be able to vote on items.
Papers will be sent to members and published here the Monday before the meeting.

How the Railways Came to Heighington
2024-03-09 14:00 - 16:30 | St Michaels Church, Heighington, DL5 6PN, Church View, Heighington, DL5 6PP, United Kingdom
St Michael’s Church, Heighington will be holding a history day on Saturday 9th March 2pm to 4:30pm.
There will be talks on Heighington’s contribution to the rich history of the S&DR, Book Stalls, Railway Gift Shop and Static Displays.
Tickets £5 (under 16s free entry) from Margaret 07970 600631 or can be bought online here: https://bit.ly/48ePT1l
