"In September 1825, one of the great technologies was born right here - the world's first passenger train set off for Darlington from this very spot," said Andrew Scott, left, Head of Museum, NRM. © Jon Pratty, 24 Hour Museum
24 Hour Museum editor Jon Pratty sped to the North East on a modern GNER 225 train to look at some of the oldest railway relics in the world.
Staff at Locomotion: The National Railway Museum at Shildon opened the doors to the public for the first time on Saturday September 25 and the £11.2 million project is now open daily for preview visits ahead of the official VIP opening in October.
Locomotion is the first new National museum to be built in the north east, and Shildon is an appropriately historic venue for the project.
It was in September 1825 that Timothy Hackworth and George Stephenson's Locomotion pulled the world's first steam-hauled passenger train, from Shildon to Darlington, on the Stockton and Darlington Railway.
So it's a very special place for a very special project, and there were lots of emotional connections apparent as the first visitors, mostly Shildonians, made their way through the museum.
A replica of Sans Pareil steams down the line at Locomotion.
Part of the National Railway Museum in York, the site unites the Hackworth Museum, based in the house in Shildon of the pioneering engineer, with seven other key locations clustered around the town. By the time of the official opening of the museum in October, visitors will be able to shuttle between the sites in an ecobus, powered by biodiesel fuel.
The museum allows the NRM to get all it's reserve collection of 60 vehicles under cover and on display for the first time - something not many National museums can boast, according to Andrew Scott, head of museum at the NRM.
In the Welcome building nearest Shildon town centre is an interactive site model, video presentation of the history of Shildon plus Hackworth's early loco, Sans Pareil.
Meaning ‘without parallel’, Sans Pareil (seen here at Locomotion) was built by Hackworth in 1829 to compete in the Rainhill Trials organised by the promoters of the Liverpool to Manchester Railway. © Jon Pratty, 24 Hour Museum
Locomotion also hosts an interactive artwork called ‘light engine’, a children’s play area and workbench where children can have a go at building a wooden wagon and a ‘Meet the Shildons’ interactive where members of the Shildon family speak to visitors.
One of the first things a knowledgeable visitor will realise is that this museum has a fabulous collection. "The NRM has, in effect, been collecting since just after the second world war when the British Transport Museum was set up," said George Muirhead, Museum Manager at Locomotion.
"A lot of the people involved with railways just prior to nationalisation (1947) were aware of the historic nature of some of the engines and rolling stock on the network. Senior managers used thier initiative and held on to important locos – sometimes by salting them away in the backs of smoky engine sheds. When plans for a national collection were mooted, some of these locos were dusted off and shunted back out into the limelight."
Another historic loco on show - City of Truro - the first steam engine ever to break the magic 100 miles per hour mark (in 1904), though not on an official timed run. © Jon Pratty, 24 Hour Museum
"In fact, Sans Pareil was already earmarked for preservation as early as 1860, when she was taken into the collection of the South Kensington Museum, the forerunner of the Science Museum."
Railway engineering is in the DNA of Shildon people, says George Muirhead. Not long after the railway opened in 1825, the Stockton and Darlington built a loco works in the town and that enterprise gradually turned into one of the most important early centres of steam traction technology.
While 12,000 visitors used to pass through the doors of the Hackworth Museum, 60,000 per annum are expected to enter Locomotion. "We share the same objectives with other heritage sites in the region," said Muirhead, "which is to get more tourism in Co Durham. We're already working with Darlington Museum and the Weardale Railway."
The front of the prototype Deltic diesel loco. Now long gone from mainline service, in its heyday in the sixties and seventies production versions hauled trains on the East Coast main line - through Darlington and Newcastle to Scotland. © Jon Pratty, 24 Hour Museum
Key to grabbing the visitors is making sure things are not too obscure. "It is designed to be interesting and fun. We’re not just interested in the enthusiast sector. We’re aiming to broaden the appeal of the museum so it’s interesting and fun. It needs to appeal to families and so on – so they come back again and again."
"We’ll be regular visitors here with our kids – you won’t need to know all about railways to enjoy a visit to Locomotion,” Marie Predki, Mayor of Sedgefield Borough Council, told the 24 Hour Museum. Locomotion is the result of a partnership between the National Railway Museum and Sedgefield Borough Council.
Another amazing part of the collection - a Stockton and Darlington Railway coach from 1847. It looks uncannily like a road-going coach. Sadly, the guard was expected to sit on the roof on the seat (visible here) in all weathers! © Jon Pratty, 24 Hour Museum
Local people were among visitors to Hackworth's house on the first public day of opening. In one room is a video about the closure of the Shildon Wagon works in 1984. There is still lots of anger felt locally about the closure, a controversial act which finally extinguished the skills of railway engineering in the town.
"Modern passenger carrying trains were born here, and it’s always been a railway town," said George Muirhead. "For a lot of people it’s a very emotional thing. There are still scars left from the closure of the wagon works. At last now, this museum brings proper recognition for Shildon’s importance in the history of railways."
As I watched the video scenes of impassioned speeches by the likes of the late NUR general secretary Sid Weighell and other local campaigners, it was clear this is going to be a museum with a lot of passionate local support.
“When the works went it was a body blow for the community, and in many ways it has never recovered. The museum project is part of a range of measures that are slowly giving the region back it’s self respect,” said Andrew Scott of the National Railway Museum.
What is interesting about the collection is the way that giant locos, some unrestored, sit within a pristine display hall. © Jon Pratty, 24 Hour Museum
"That’s what is interesting for us in this project. As a national museum we sometimes find ourselves being accused of being insular. So it's a national museum project – but it will stand or fall on its success at a grassroots level.”
"On one level, there’s a real awareness in the town of its proud railway engineering heritage. Many in the town will tell you Shildon built the first locomotive sent to Russia, the first loco shipped to Canada. Recognition of this heritage is a profoundly positive thing. You get a real sense of place here."
For now, the museum is bringing much-needed jobs into the area. "When we advertised we were overwhelmed with enquiries," said George Muirhead. Locomotion begins its life with around 15 employees, mostly from the town and it's surrounding areas.
Locomotion has been made possible by the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, European Regional Development Fund, ONE NorthEast, Sedgefield Borough Council, Single Regeneration Budget, Department for Culture Media and Sport, Network Rail, Northern Rock Foundation, Department of Trade and Industry (EST), Friends of the National Railway Museum, Arts Council of England, Jarvis Rail and Dunns Haulage.
Watch out for a new trail coming soon on 24 Hour Museum - Railway Heritage In The North East. Jon Pratty travelled to Shildon and Darlington with GNER.
