Stockton and Darlington Railway

Difference the new railway made

Although the S&DR wasn’t the first railway - and its trains weren’t the first to carry passengers - the successful opening of the line in 1825 meant that steam railways proved themselves as an effective means of public transport.

How the railway line was built

George Stephenson and his son Robert were the main engineers for the line. You can see their portrait at ICE headquarters in central London.

George Stephenson had already successfully designed and built steam locomotives to haul coal at the Killingworth colliery in North Tyneside.

The original railway was 25 miles (40km) long. Stephenson mostly used malleable iron rail for the track. Cast iron rails were used at junctions.

The line was single track. Square sleepers supported each track separately – this allowed horses pulling wagons to walk between the tracks.

Stephenson used sleepers made from oak on track to the west of Darlington and stone to the east. He had wanted to use stone sleepers throughout but the company couldn’t afford it.

The first steam locomotive to run on the line was called Locomotion No 1. It pulled a carriage named Experiment. Other locomotives used on the line were called Hope, Black Diamond and Diligence.