Steaming into the history books
Stockton & Darlington Railway
Tees Valley led the way in the industrial revolution of the 19th Century, boasting the first ever public railway with steam-driven engines.
September 27, 1825 was an incredibly important day in the history of the railways and the prosperity of the North East, not to mention a turning point in the the industrial revolution. It was the opening day of the Stockton and Darlington Railway - the first public railway using steam-powered engines. The first carriages were hauled by George Stephenson's Newcastle-built 'Locomotion No.1' which can still be seen today at Darlington Railway Centre and Museum.
The technology was originally developed to transport coal from the County Durham collieries to the River Tees at Stockton for shipping south. Thanks to this steam driven technology the price of coal was dramatically reduced, fuelling the Industrial Revolution.
The first services for carrying passengers were introduced in 1833 and the line was extended East to Satltburn, which became a thriving tourist resort.
Submitted by: Sarah McLusky, 03 April 2003
