Stockton Flyer
Art In Stockton on Tees, North Yorkshire
An automated mechanical ‘steam train’which appears every day tooting and clacking.
Every day, with the accuracy that the Red Arrows exude, the Stockton Flyer starts chuffing from a plinth at 13:00 and is fully visible at 13:06. It is an aspiring mechanical boffin's delight.
The sculpture is normally hidden within a stone plinth near Stockton-on-Tees Town Hall. The sculpture is a stylised steam locomotive, inspired by George and Robert Stephenson's Locomotion No. 1. At 1:06 p.m. each day, (the delayed arrival time of the Locomotive), the sculpture emerges from the plinth, moves, blows its whistle and emits smoke. When fully emerged, the sculpture measures 7 metres (23 ft) in height, including the plinth.
Wikipedia
[The creator] Rob Higgs is a mechanical sculptor, automata maker and inventor. Based in Penryn in Cornwall, he designs and creates mechanical sculptures, contraptions and eccentric machines, using salvaged materials found in old farmsteads, boatyards and scrapheaps. Rob's extensive list of clients include, the Science Museum, the Eden Project, the Sultan of Brunei, the BBC, Warner Bros, Fatboy Slim, Stephen Fry, Heston Blumenthal, schools, parks, theatre groups, charities and, of course, Stockton Borough Council, who commissioned the building of the Stockton Flyer in 2013.
Stockton Flyer Website
Basically, it's a jack-in-the-box steam train, where its lid opens, it rises and wobbles, dances, whistles and sounds bells, then reverses and tucks itself away again.
Rob Higgs, in a YouTube video about the creation of the Stockton Flyer
The body is from a ship's buoy out of Falmouth Harbour. It uses a running machine motor and a steam-making machine. The whistles are authentic, one being from an American steam train, and it has bullet marks in it! The wheels have a rotational motion which creates a sense of movement.
Toot toot!
Get 3 points if you have visited this place. Already visited by 3 VIPs.
Login to the VIP area to add places to your bucket list, mark them as visited and more importantly see where you rank on the league table.
How To Find Stockton Flyer
Where To Park For Stockton Flyer?
There is a parking area right next to it.
Contributed by Rosalind Parker
Thank you for reading. I hope it sparks your interest. It’s always a pleasure to get out and explore, whatever the weather. I enjoy uncovering little snippets of information, especially when they’re obscure, amusing, or meaningful. All photos were taken on a mobile phone.
More Places from Rosalind
More Places In Stockton on Tees
Find more fabulous places in Stockton on Tees, North Yorkshire and if you know of a place we haven't listed, then let us know.
Infinity Bridge
Bridge Stockton on Tees North YorkshireA pedestrian and cycle bridge that forms the shape of the mathematical symbol for infinity.
Preston Park Museum And Grounds
Museum Stockton on Tees North YorkshireA former gentleman’s Georgian residence and now a museum in a park nestled along the river Tees.
Tees Barrage
Bridge Stockton on Tees North YorkshireA multipurpose construction with bridges and a barrage for tidal defence. Also nature and adrenaline activities in the area.
More Art
So this art wasn't enough and you want more? Don't worry we have you covered.
Pirrie’s Close Artwork
Art Edinburgh ScotlandMetal cutout artworks depict stories related to this close off the Royal Mile.
Canary Mural Wheatley Hill
Art Peterlee County DurhamA stunning mural depicting the release of a yellow canary which references the area's mining days and has significance for the future.
Boxing Gloves
Art Peterlee County DurhamSix foot pair of boxing gloves commemorating the achievements of Maurice Cullen.
Never Miss A Fabulous Place
If you are afraid of missing out on all the fabulous places we post, or just want to be the first to know, then sign up to the Fabulous North.
Each week we will email you all the brand new places that we visit.
Sign Up To Alerts
Find Us On Facebook
We post all our new places daily on our Facebook Groups page, so join the group today and be notified when we add a new place.
Join Our Facebook GroupStockton Flyer was listed in Art // North Yorkshire // Stockton on Tees