Local composer and heritage artist Deborah Shaw this week unveils a brand new sound walk, tracing an iconic route around Shildon’s greatest historic routes.
The sound walk, available on the GeoTourist App, traces a guided walk from the Locomotion Museum.
Participants wear headphones, which then trigger sounds as people walk, bringing the history of the town and its railway heritage to life along the route.
The sound walk includes oral histories taken from local residents, remembering the railway, Shildon Wagon Works and all that they stood for.
There are stories from local Locomotion volunteers, former BR employees, former club queens, railway queens, and historical articles, underscored by some of Deborah’s new music commissioned for the Rail 200 celebrations.
The sound walk and recordings are funded by the S&DR 26 Miles Fund, with support in kind from the Locomotion Museum in Shildon.
Deborah says: “Creating this sound walk and music has been a real pleasure.
“It has allowed me to revisit my own history, having had many family members who worked at the Shops.
“I have really enjoyed speaking to such a wide selection of people, whose stories and memories of Shildon have been both delightful and poignant.
“Through these conversations, I have heard reflections on the good times and the not-so-good times of living in an industrial town shaped by political and social changes over the years.
“These stories are part of Shildon’s identity, and it has been wonderful to bring them together through sound, music and memory.
“One thing that has come through very strongly is that the Shildon community is still very much alive.
“This project has brought people with shared histories together and, in doing so, has given those memories another life.
“I hope that as people walk the route, they don’t just hear the history of Shildon, but feel something of the people, places and stories that continue to make the town what it is.”
The walk will be available from Saturday 26 September.
Deborah will also be hosting a guided walk on the same day from the Locomotion Museum at 2pm.
To access the walks you need to:
Create an account and download the app at www.geotourist.com.
Search for the walk ‘The Sound’s of Shildon’s Railway History.’
Play the walk which starts at the Locomotion museum and listen to the sounds (although you can start the route at any point on the map) which will trigger as you walk through headphones.
You should arrive at Locomotion around 1pm for app set up help – please bring your device and headphones.
The walk is on pavements and footpaths with some slopes and takes about 45 minutes. Contact debbie[@]shawmusic[.]co[.]uk if you have any questions.
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
