Introduction to Issue 29 Railways Special Edition

In this issue

Before we begin to examine aspects of railway heritage, especially of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, David Gwyn begins this special issue with a review of the state of research into England's early railways in general.

On 27th September we celebrate the bicentenary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR), a date for long taken to mark the beginning of the railway age. But why, given that it was not the first railway, not the first to use steam locomotives and not even the first to carry passengers? As Eric Branse-Instone describes, it was the most complex railway the world had seen to date and its proprietors were generous in sharing their knowledge. The company’s celebration of its Golden Jubilee in 1875 was therefore perhaps not entirely self-seeking and has been repeated at fifty-year intervals as a national celebration of the railway.

In anticipation of the 2025 Bicentenary, Historic England established a S&DR Heritage Action Zone, to carry out research, to undertake conservation work and to guide the future management of the line. One of the first actions was an aerial survey and Dave Knight considers the benefits of analysing both historic and modern aerial photography.

The S&DR had to devise many of the structures which would become familiar features of the railway landscape. Eric describes the bridges along the line, including probably the oldest railway bridge still in operational use. Bev Kerr presents her research into the 1833 Darlington Goods Depot, whilst Marcus Jecock and Caroline Hardie discuss the nearby Darlington Lime Depot.

The railway had a rapid impact. Lucy Jessop describes the growth of Shildon into probably the world’s first railway town. Marcus describes the Coal Drops, required by that growth and perhaps the earliest mechanised locomotive coaling plant.

Further extension of the S&DR was similarly transformative and Clare Howard describes the impact on the ancient market town of Bishop Auckland. Marcus considers the increasing sophistication of the bridges along that section of line.

Finally, going beyond the Heritage Action Zone, John Minnis considers the grandeur of Birmingham’s Curzon Street Station, opened in 1838 and showing “just how far railways and the new age they represented had come in merely 13 years since the Stockton & Darlington Railway was opened.”

We complete the issue with a round up of Historic England's reports, books and guidance on railway heritage.

Download the magazine in PDF format