The third 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 programme presenter Andy Klutz explores the lives of two early railway pioneers who contribution to this story has for many years been seriously overlooked, engineer Timothy Hackworth and railway financier George Hudson. Inside the Soho Engine...

The third 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 programme presenter Andy Klutz explores the lives of two early railway pioneers who contribution to this story has for many years been seriously overlooked, engineer Timothy Hackworth and railway financier George Hudson. Inside the Soho Engine Shed at Shildon in County Durham, presenter Andy Klutz talks about Timothy Hackworth who some believe was the man who contributed more than most to the development of railway locomotives, but has been largely eclipsed by the Stephensons. Coming to stand next to a replica of Hackworth’s San Pareil Andy explains that it was this locomotive that would be the reason why Hackworth and the Stephensons were at loggerheads. Title: The Railway Story “The Golden Age” Over images of the man and some of his locomotives Andy reads an account of Timothy Hackworth written in 1830 describing his work as being in advance of [George] Stephenson. Sitting in the parlour of Hackworth’s home, Soho House in Shildon, Andy speaks with Timothy’s great-great granddaughter Jane Hackworth Young about her family research into her great-great grandfather from his time at Wylam to him moving to Shildon as well as his work on the Stockton and Darlington Railway and the development of his own locomotives. Andy asks what his relationship to Stephenson was and was he aggrieved that Stephenson got all the credit? She believes peoples perceptive on the situation are changing with her ancestor now receiving more and more credit for introduced more innovation in the early steam locomotives than anyone else. Over an illustration Jane explains why Royal George built in 1827 is probably the most important really early locomotive. A model of Royal George on display with Andy explaining how it summed up Hackworth the man being both reliable, more than capable of doing the job and being a big improvement on its contemporaries. Walking through the Soho Engine Shed with Jane past several carriages on display, she talks about the development of these works and the building of a locomotive for the Czar of Russia in 1836 that showed his reputation was spreading beyond England. As she speaks documents and plans for said locomotive laid out on a table. Hackworth’s business card and other relevant illustrations with Andy explaining that during the 1820s many people were not convinced there was a future in locomotives. An image showing crowds standing around engines at the start of the Rainhill Trials with Andy providing details on the event which was put on by the owners of the first inter-city line between Manchester and Liverpool on 6th October 1829 and is now considered one of the greatest events in railway history. Images showing three of the entrants to the trials including Stephensons Rocket and Hackworth’s San Pareil. Still in the engine shed Jane Hackworth Young provides details on the design and building of San Pareil which was all done in Hackworth’s spare time. As the replica is steamed out of its shed and along a set of tracks Jane explains why she believes it is a superior locomotive to Stephenson’s Rocket. Come down a set of steps inside the National Railway Museum at York Andy looks down on Stephenson’s Rocket on display nearby and asks the question was she a worthy winner? Wearing white overalls and a hard hat Early Railway Consultant Michael Bailey kneeling on Rocket’s footplate and explains to Andy that he is undertaking a thorough examination of Rocket than has ever been done before to see what modification were made during its working life and while at the Science Museum. As he conducts his tests he explains in voiceover why he considers Rocket to be the worth winner at Rainhill because it was one of a series of prototype locomotives that Robert Stephenson and his team at Newcastle developed for mainline service on the Manchester to Liverpool Railway. Taking the programme into a commercial break, Andy comes to stand beside BR Standard Class 9F 92220 “Evening Star” also on display inside the National Railway Museum, the last steam engine ever built by British Rail back in 1960 and constructed using the same techniques used by Robert Stepehenson to build Rocket a 131 years previous. Title: End of Part One Part Two Walking into the churchyard of St Peters and St Pauls Church at Scrayingham near York Andy explains he has come to see the grave of a man once hailed as a ‘railway king’ but later dammed as a ‘drunken, blotted, greedy blaggard.’ Details are provided with regards the early life of George Hudson who in the 1830s cashed in on the opportunities steam locomotion was presenting. Over several related images from the period Andy talks about a windfall of £30,000 George received and a chance meeting with George Stephenson while on holiday in Whitby that fired his imagination with the idea of a network of railways covering Britain. A 19th century photograph of railway carriages parked in a siding beside York City Wall morphing into the same scene today with Andy quoting George Hudson’s maxim that the railway should come to York. At Toft Hill in the city the first railway station in York built by George Hudson in 1841 now hidden away amongst later buildings and the main offices of Network Rail. Sitting on a park bench outside Andy speaks with Stuart Baker Operations Director for Network Rail about this lasting memorial. Over a montage of drawing and around the building itself Stuart explains it was built to emphasis Geroge’s strength and powerbase and to install confidence in the traveller of that time. Andy asks how much of that original still remains? Stuart explains almost everything including the original platform and two archways built through the city wall to provide access to the city centre. As Andys points out that this station building has been railway offices since 1841, Stuart advises that the room where the very first board meeting took place is now the rail track control room between London and the Northeast. As controllers sit at their desks working on computers, Stuart comments that it shows the achievement of Hudson’s vision as it controls the route between London and Berwick-upon-Tweed. Andy speaks with Transport Historian Dr Ralph Harrison who explains that Hudson’s character traits served him well and that he was a classic opportunist. However, it isn’t known why he ceased on the idea of railways, but he certainly did see that the railway as the path to the future especially after his meeting with George Stephenson in Whitby. Coming to stand outside Monkwearmouth Station in Sunderland, Andy speaks with Industrial Archaeologist Ian Ayris asking why it is so grand? He explains that it was built in 1845 to celebrate Hudson becoming an MP and is also as a reflection on the age. As the two men cross the footbridge at Monkwearmouth they talk of the many other monuments to that age throughout the region that reflects on the speed in which the railway revolution was taking place. A montage of the High-Level Bridge in Newcastle designed by Robert Stephenson changes to a montage of Newcastle Central Station with Ian explaining that it was an example of a leading architect of the day John Dobson being utilized to the power and importance of the railway, to make a statement about their complete confidence in themselves and to utilize engineering technology which was innovate. A focus is made on the curved roof which was partly designed by Robert Stephenson alongside Dobson. Returning to Monkwearmouth Station Ian Ayris is asked if we owe it all to George Hudson? Over a montage around the station and its ornate stonework Ian admits he had an important part to play and has left a legacy which is very impressive, however throughout the region there were people getting involved in the development of the railway all of whom were keen to leave monuments to themselves and to the railway. Over a montage of related pamphlets and cartoons of the time Andy provides details of on how George Hudson’s business empire grew with him controlling a third of the 5000 miles of railway around the country by 1848. However, when his sources of cash dried up and stockbrokers found our he had been ‘cooking the books’ he faced the wrath of Victorian England and was denounced as a swindler and a crook. Walking around his station at York, Andy speaks with Dr Ralph Harrison who attempts to provide context to his situation stating that while he does admire him for his vision of wanting a unified national network, he might not approve of some of his methods. On being asked if he could succeed today, he believes he could as he would make the best of any opportunity that came along. Outside York Station a montage of the statue of George Leeman. In voiceover Dr Harrison explains that it is only Leeman from the neck up, the body is that of his rival George Hudson who after his fall from grace in 1849 the citizens of York decided rather than build a new statue simply decided to replace the head. While Andy may consider this the ultimate insult, Dr Harrison is more pragmatic seeing it as a ‘secret triumph’ as he is still there today. Standing beside an ornate grave in the churchyard at Scrayingham, Andy provides details of the remainder of George Hudson’s life living for 20-years as a pauper in France before returning home in 1868 and dying three years later. Before walking away Andy states that no one knows exactly where George is buried, hiding his shame in death and he did in the final years of his life. Title: With thanks to Darlington Railway Centre and Museum, Ken Groundwater Collection, National Railway Museum York, The National Trust Northumberland, Ted Parker, Punch Magazine, Timothy Hackworth Victorian and Railway Museum, Science Museum London, Stockton Museum Service, Tyne and Wear Museums, John Wigston 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