For years I thought they were called the Wordsells.
only the purchase of a book by Geoffrey Hill published in 1991 made things clear.The family was involved in Railways almost from the beginning, with one relative being the original builder of Carriages for the Liverpool and Manchester, and indeed he later was described as the Loco, Carriage and Wagon Superintendent of the Leipzig Railway in Germany. William (T.W.) was apprenticed to an uncle in Birmingham before he due to ill health had to move to Pennsylvania and worked at Altoona, where it is said that he developed the first practical Steel firebox.
So from a very early date, Darlington and Gateshead had connections with both the beginning of passenger travel on railways, and the latest technologies from America. The thing that is important to remember is that at this early time, about 1850-1860, before the American Civil War, there were few skilled workmen in the USA, so they were much earlier than in Britain to "mass produce" items and reduce maintenance expenses.
It is pretty certain therefore that there were consistent contacts across the Atlantic.
The other fascinating fact is that like so many of the early Railway pioneers, the Worsdells were Quakers, and it would appear some of their descendants were still active in the Friends until late in the 20th century.
paul
