Shildon Railway Art Works

As the 19th century began, the village of Shildon comprised a few houses around a crossroads, but as the Industrial Revolution took hold, the town grew rapidly. In fact, in 1801 the population was 100 people, but by the end of the century it had grown to an incredible 11,759 people.

One of the main drivers of this rapid expansion was the birth of the railways, and it was an industry that was a source of employment in the town until 1984 when the railway works closed.

A notice was placed in the London Gazette in 1818 which said;

'...that application is intended to be made to Parliament in the next session, for an Act for making and maintaining a 'rail-way or tram-road from the River Tees, at or near Stockton, in the county of Durham'.

This notice was the beginning of the world-famous Stockton to Darlington Railway Line, which due to demand, saw the worlds first passenger line opened on the 27th September 1825.

There are only a few buildings and remnants of the railway left in the town and surrounds, including the Brusselton Incline, but there are some clues as to the railway heritage that have been placed around the town as artworks.

On Redworth Road, not far from the site of the Shildon Wagon Works, you can find the former gates to Euston Station, which were originally erected at the London Station in 1838. Originally donated to the National Railway Museum in York, they were donated to the town in recognition of its place at the birth of the railways in the UK.

A short walk down Redworth Road on the roundabout with Byerley Road, you can find the Shildon Wagon Works Restored Semaphore Signal. This semaphore signal used to protect the level crossing outside Shildon Wagon Works. It was restored and placed on the roundabout in a location similar to the one it originally occupied.

The location of the Stockton to Darlington Line is another short walk from the semaphore and is marked by another semaphore signal, a section of track and an interpretation panel. This panel explains that this is the location of the Masons Arms Crossing, the exact location where Locomotion No. 1 began its very first journey. The Masons Arms pub is no longer there but the building is now occupied by a restaurant.

You can walk along the length of the old Stockton to Darlington Line from this point and it will eventually take you to Brusselton Incline.