Now we are within a fortnight of the 200th anniversary of the beginning of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, the railway, that got the world on track, writes John Raw.
Two big successes of the celebrations have recently concluded.
Flying Scotsman has left Locomotion, but there will be further viewing of this sleek beast when the Cavalcade of Giants opens in near by Hopetown from the 20th.
The very well attended eexhibition at the Witham in Barnard Castle, which saw around 1,500 through its doors, has also now closed.
Staying in this area, from this Friday 12th, the Fitzhugh Museum in Middleton in Teasdale will be running its own open days, until Thursday 18th.
Also over the weekend, on the 13th and 14th in the village’s Masonic Hall, the wonderful model of the former Middleton in Teasdale railway station will be on view from 10am.
On Sunday 14th, Thorpe Light Railway will be having its final open day of the celebrations. Tickets for the 15” gauge railway are £3.50 and free to under 5s. You can have as many goes as you like on the train. What Three Words ‘DIAL GRIPES GEESE’ will get you there.
On Wednesday 17th, there will be walk along the very first three miles of the line, now that Durham County Council have put in a walkway. The walk is free to join and is also dog friendly. They are no styles along this section. To register, email jraw2883[@]aol[.]com.
Later on the same day there will be a talk at Shildon Railway Institute from 7pm. This talk is on what very early American railway pioneers learnt from their visits to Shildon in the 1820s and 1830s. Again, it is free entry.
On Thursday 18th, there will be a litter pick along the line at Etherley. If you would like to join, please meet up outside the former Bridge Inn in Low Etherley for 10am in sturdy boots. Equipment will be provided.
Events will be ongoing at the Mining Museum in Bishop Auckland Market Place from Wednesday each week, and also at Locomotion.
Thank you to all who came along to our tent at Heighington Village show, which was blessed by good weather.
John Raw is Honorary Secretary of the Brusselton Incline Group.
John Raw
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
