The second of a six-part series produced for Tyne Tees Television by Honky Tonk Productions that explores the great railway age from the early horse-drawn waggon ways, through the romance of steam, to futuristic monorail of the 21st century. In this second episode Andy Klutz visits Wylam in Northumberland to find out why it continues to be a Mecca for railway enthusiasts and to ask experts if George Stephenson, born at Wylam in 1781, deserved the title of ‘father of railways.’ In the second...

The second of a six-part series produced for Tyne Tees Television by Honky Tonk Productions that explores the great railway age from the early horse-drawn waggon ways, through the romance of steam, to futuristic monorail of the 21st century. In this second episode Andy Klutz visits Wylam in Northumberland to find out why it continues to be a Mecca for railway enthusiasts and to ask experts if George Stephenson, born at Wylam in 1781, deserved the title of ‘father of railways.’ In the second part of the programme Andy explores the development of the Stockton and Darlington Railway as well as learn about some of those who were involved, other than George Stephenson, in creating the world first passenger railway which opened on the 27th September 1825. Over a clip from a television drama featuring a battle taking place during the Napoleonic Wars, presenter Andy Kluz explains that an unusual effect of the war was becoming a threat to the rapidly expanding coalfields in the Northeast. Walking along a railway track beside the Winding Engine House at Beamish Museum near Stanley in County Durham he explains that as thousands of horses were being killed during the war, there was a scarcity back in Britain meaning colliery owners who used horses exclusively to transport their coal were paying vastly more for the animals and their feed. Coming to stand beside a steam locomotive he explains that the solution to the problem was to find ‘a horse that ate coal.’ Title: The Railway Story “The Horse That Ate Coal” As a passenger train crosses The High-Level Bridge into Gateshead, Andy walks along the banks of the nearby River Tyne asking if those onboard were aware that they are passing near to a spot where railway history was made? Details are provided with regards the site of Whinfield Foundry where the first steam locomotive in the Northeast was built. A drawing of the Gateshead Engine designed by Richard Trevithick changes to Andy with Jim Rees Keeper of Industry at Beamish Museum admiring a small wall safe made in 1813 at the Whinfield Foundry and produced using the Gateshead Engine. Details are provided with regards the involvement of the first great railway engineer John Steele in the development of the Gateshead Engine and how it was seen by Christopher Blackett from Wylam in Northumberland who would go onto develop the first commercial adhesion steam locomotive in Puffing Billy. A picture of Christopher Blackett and an aerial of the village of Wylam along the banks of the River Tyne with Andy providing in voiceover a history of the Blackett’s and the families coal mining business. Over archival images of the village Andy explains that by 1800 vital elements were coming together to turn Wylam into a crucible of change. Coming to stand beside a hill next to a path Wylam Historian Philp Brooks explains to Andy that this pit heap is all that remains of Wylam Colliery. As they walk along the path Philip provides details on two key figures in the history of locomotive development, William Hedley who was colliery manager at Wylam and Timothy Hackworth who was a foreman blacksmith. Over relevant images details are provided with regards their work to develop both Puffing Billy and later Wylam Dilly the two oldest locomotives in the world. Andy asks what was special about Wylam to make it happen here? Philip believes it is a unique coincidence that the village provided three or four of the most important figures in early railway history. An archival image of an 18th century stone cottage which was home to the ‘father of railways’ George Stephenson transforms into the cottage today with both Andy and Philip arriving at it. In voiceover Philip talks about Wylam being the Mecca to which all true railway enthusiasts would want to come. The two men look around the exterior of the cottage before going inside and sitting beside the hearth, Philip explains that four families lived in this house with the Stephenson’s only living in one of the room. Details are provided about George Stephenson’s early life being born in 1781, his father working at the local pit and having no formal education until he was 18 attending night school at his own expense to start to learn to read and write. This incredible determination for self-help as well as his drive and enthusiasm are what Phillip believes are the great qualities of Stephenson. Philip talks about the family moving to Throckley where George become more interested in the mechanical side of engines associated with the pits which was the curtain raiser for his later work on locomotives. He is asked if Stephenson deserved the title of ‘father of the railways’, Philip believes it couldn’t have been given to anyone else as he was the one who had the foresight to extend the railway network as an important means of transport. Now sitting with Andy around the fire is Jim Rees from Beamish Museum who is also asked does Stephenson deserve all the credit? He is more critical of Stephenson and believes not any single person could or should be acknowledged as having done everything related to the start of the railways. He acknowledges Stephenson’s important contribution but states that others such as Trevithick played just as an important part and should also be remembered. He also acknowledges the work of a number of individuals many of whom came from the Northeast especially around Tyneside. Coming to stand beside an oak tree planted at Wylam in 1881 to commemorate the birth of George Stephenson, Andy states that the seeds for the railways were well and truly planted and now were beginning to sprout. Title: End of Part One Part Two Walking along a busy road at West Moor near Killingworth on North Tyneside Andy asks if those driving past ever spare a glance for this pretty little stone building? Walking through the cottage gate he comes to stand outside Dial Cottage where the Stephenson family moved to in 1804. Walking around outside the cottage Andy talks about George starting work at nearby Killingworth Pit and in 1814 persuading the colliery manager Nicholas Wood to allow him to build a locomotive. Over an archival image of it details are provided on said engine known as Blucher, the first modern type engine. Standing across the road from 138-148 Northgate in Darlington Andy exclaims that we’ve come to a crucial moment that all our history hinges. Back in the early 19th century this was the home of Edward Pease a wool merchant and Quaker and one of the main backers of a horse-drawn railway to run forty-miles from the West Durham coalfield down to the River Tees at Stockton-on-Tees. Walking around the back of the building with Andy is Joseph Edward Pease 3rd Baron Gainford with the two men coming to stop beside what is now a bricked-up doorway. In voiceover Andy telling the story of how George Stephenson and Nicolas Wood, both now convinced the future was in steam, came to Darlington and knocked on this very door in order to speak with Edward Pease. Now inside standing in what is a storeroom for a local locksmith but was the Pease’s kitchen, Andy and Lord Pease tell the story of that first meeting around the kitchen table and how important this room was for the history of railways as it lead to the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway which in turn lead to railway lines spreading out across the country. Sitting beside a hearth is Andy Guy, a research at Beamish Museum who reads an extract from a letter written by Edward Pease to his cousin Thomas Richardson which conveys how strongly the excitement he felt of Stephensons plans for a steam powered railway. Walking beside Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland Andy tells a story about George Stephensons who is believed to have visited Housesteads Roman Fort where having measured the ancient Roman wagon rut in the east gate decided upon this to be the gauge, the distance between the rails, for his Stockton to Darlington railway line. Now standing beside the gate with tape measure in hand Andy measures said rut which comes to 4ft eight-and-a-half inches, the standard gauge which continues to be used by all railway around the world. Not being able to verify if this story is true, Andy explains what is true is that in 1823 Edward Pease along with George, his son Robert and Michael Longridge the owner of the Bedlington Iron Works formed a company to build steam engines constructing workshops on Fourth Street in Newcastle, the very first locomotive works in the world. On the wall inside the Central Hall at Wallington Hall in Northumberland the William Bell Scott oil painting ‘In the Nineteenth Century the Northumbrian Show the World What Can be Done with Iron and Coal’ featuring burly men along the Newcastle Quayside hammering iron in a foundry. Over a montage of this painting Andy talks about the founding of Bedlington Iron Works on the 23rd June 1824 with then 19-year-old Robert Stephenson being named first working manager. A drawing of what the works would have looked like changes to a window, the only surviving part of that original works. On a wall outside a plaque commemorating this building being the works of Robert Stephenson and Sons 1829-1979. Over views inside the now empty buildings Andy explains that it was here that two of the most famous early locomotives in the world were built, Locomotion No. 1 and Rocket. Standing in the doorway of an office Andy holds a hammer which was used in the works during the 1830s. He points at the logo of the company which is still in the head. Handing it back to is owner Robert Stephenson Roper, the great-great-grandson of George Stephenson’s brother John, the two men wonder the building talking about the type of man Robert Stephenson was and about not just his work on engines, but also being an inventor and great civil engineer and bridge builder. Explaining that with both George and Robert unavailable to manage construction of the lines on the Stockton and Darlington Railway, Timothy Hackworth was brought in. Over a computer animation showing how an overhead winding drum was traditionally used to pull coal wagons over hills, Andy provides more details on how they worked. Walking along the Brusselton Incline just to the west of Shildon in County Durham, Andy points out the surviving stone sleeper blocks in the ground that once carried the rails of this conventional rope hauled incline. Pointing to the east on the edge of town, he explains that this is where convention ended. Intercut over a re-enactment of the event, Andy walks down a footpath through the heart of Shildon down onto what use to be the track-bed for the Stockton and Darlington Railway and where on the morning of the 27th September 1825 Locomotion No.1 set of for Darlington nine-miles away with George Stephenson at the control. A montage of both the re-enactment of that journey alongside the painting ‘The Opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway’ by John Dobbin with Andy providing details of its arrival into Darlington and its onward journey to Stockton-on-Tees where it was met by 40,000 spectators. Returning to Andy still standing on the footpath, he states that for the first time in history a steam locomotive had pulled passengers on a public railway and asks the question if George Stephenson and others involved in the railway knew what they had started and that the world would never be the same again. Over the closing credits the original Locomotion No.1 on display inside the Darlington Railway Centre and Museum. Title: With thanks to Sir John Beecham, Carlton Television, Darlington Railway Centre and Museum, English Heritage Housteads Roman Fort, Gateshead Libaries and Arts Service, Laing Art Gallery Newcastle upon Tyne, The National Trust Northumberland, The North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, North of England Open Air Museum Beamish, Tyne and Wear Museums, Science Museum London, Stockton Museum Service, John Wigston, Yorkshire Television Credit: Written and Presented by Andy Klutz Title Music Alan Clark Graphics Dave Richardson Research Robert Smith Sound Terry Black Camera / Director Janusz Ostrowski Editor Trevor Wonfor Executive Producer Jane Bolesworth Producer Liz Treadway End title: A Honky Tonk Production for Tyne Tees Television. © MCMXCIX