A new ‘street art’ sculpture of Locomotion No.1 was unveiled today at the south end of the town. The steel sculpture was created by artist Steve Tomlinson. This is where the first rail of the Stockton and Darlington Railway was laid on 13 May 1822 near St John’s Crossing on Bridge Road, Stockton. (Contribution kindly sent in by David Thompson).
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
As others have pointed out the Clarence Railway was the first line deliberately set up to compete with another. Which is why a plaque, or plaques on the route of the North Shore Branch is needed. The track charges imposed by the Stockton and Darlington over which Clarence trains had to run bancrupted the latter, and eventually the line was sold to the S&D
Could we also have a plaque on the site of the North Shore branch Line, as in keeping with our privatised railways, the Clarence Railway, of which the North Shore Branch was a very important part, was the first railway set up in competition to another, namely the Stockton and Darlington.
As others have pointed out the Clarence Railway
It would be a significant contribution if someone could relay a length or two of track to show kids and visitors exactly where the line ran in relation to the old building. Maybe Network Rail could sponsor this, their existance can be traced back to innovation from the 1825 era.
It’s going the wrong way!
It’s going the right way to celebrate the arrival of the first journey from Shildon to Darlington to Stockton. “At 3.45pm Locomotion No.1 arrived in Stockton. The train was welcomed by a large cheering crowd, the National Anthem and a 21 gun salute.”
Anyway I think it would need to be this way round, as surely it’s meant as a welcome to Stockton, which wouldn’t work if the train was leaving!
At last a monument to our railway heritage, well done SBC.