The LNER Encyclopedia

Posted in the LNER section as they mainly feature it's ancestor - the Stockton & Darlington Railway, particularly 'Locomotion'. Although my main period of interest is Edwardian/WW1, the early railways I also find fascinating and Beamish's recreation of one is superb, and I believe unique? The buildings and signage, instead of trying to keep them out of shots like at some preserved railways where they are not appropriate, in this case I try to include where possible



Took a while to get this shot and got lucky with the timing second time around! Very pleased with it





View showing the 'new' rebuilt St Helens church from Eston in the Georgian landscape



Railway uniforms, 1825 style! I bet the big hats are appreciated on a day like today



Horse gin gang rebuilt at the end of the line







Overview of the engine shed site



'Steam Elephant' replica



Superb wind vane of 'Locomotion' confronting a cow on the line - note the fireman waving his shovel!



The Hetton Colliery locomotive, originally believed to date from 1822 and built by George Stephenson (for some reason the information board on it still states this), but has in the past few years to have been built in 1851/2 and rebuilt in 1874

The re-dating of the Hetton loco is new to me: Why would someone build such a primitive locomotive in the 1850s?

I guess this now makes Locomotion No. 1 as the oldest more-or-less intact survivor?
("Catch me who can" if it survives, is down to just a boiler; and the Murray & Blenkinsop axles are at best just that)

Fascinating shots - thanks for posting!

Oldest has always been 'Puffing Billy' I believe, at the Science Museum, followed by 'Wylam Dilly' (which apparently until 2008 was thought to be older), followed in 3rd place by 'Billy' of 1813 which seems to be fairly forgotten about - http://www.ntsra.org.uk/stock.html

then Locomotion, then presumably a toss-up between Sans Pareil and Rocket.

Regarding the Hetton loco I saw discussion on it a while ago but can't find it now - some nice images on here on all 4 Pockerley locos lined up;

http://beamishtransport.blogspot.co.uk/ ... -news.html

Interesting bit on the debate here though - http://www.shildon.org/238_-_3rd_February_2006.pdf

Ah, and here! http://www.heritagerailway.co.uk/news/h ... to-beamish

2002EarlMarischal wrote:Fascinating shots - thanks for posting!

Thanks - heck of a drive up there from Derby, but fortunately my mum moved back up to the area a couple of years ago, and now i'm driving means on my days off from shift work I can head up and explore the area for the first time since childhood, so hope to post more photos from the north eastern railways and museums - and also of disused railway routes, first attempt of the Teesdale way got me over halfway in one go but turned back with an enormous blister!

What is the age of Nelson or Bradyll as was once thought in the museum building in Shildon town centre?
That is noted as becoming obsolete in 1870 possibly dating from the 1830s 1840s.

RLangham: Thanks I'll follow the links. Forgot about Puffing Billy (although iirc, it had a major rebuild and originally looked very different), didn't know Wylam Dilly survived, and no I hadn't heard of Billy before either!

Along with Rocket and San Pareil for 1829, I believe "Agenoria" was also built in 1829.

Then you start entering the export market - "John Bull" was built shortly after that. Usually described as the US's first steam engine, but "Stourbridge Lion" predates it. Both were imports from the UK.
(they tried to run Stourbridge Lion on wooden track so it wasn't a big success)

Wouldn't surprise me about Puffing Billy, but it seemed close to the replica at Beamish which is based on it in original condition - 'Rocket' sure as heck doesn't look like it did at first though! Still, amazing that these early famous locomotives survive and I still get a sense of awe when I see 'Locomotion' at Darlington North Road and 'Rocket' and 'Puffing Billy' in London

Regarding Bradyll/Nelson - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradyll_(locomotive) , still viewable but only from a small platform at one end of the engine shed, you can't go all the way down the length of it like you were able to when it was the Timothy Hackworth Museum

An interesting survivor is 'Samson' of 1838, built by Timothy Hackworth, and apart from 'Sans Pareil' the only Hackworth loco left - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samson_(locomotive) - interesting to compare it with 'Derwent' at North Road http://www.docbrown.info/docspics/north ... page26.htm