Listing upgrade to boost the protection of Stockton & Darlington buildings trio
THE home of pioneer Stockton & Darlington Railway locomotive superintendent Timothy Hackworth is among a collection of three buildings in Shildon which have been upgraded to a new Grade II* listing by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on the advice of Historic England, boosting their protection and giving them greater recognition.
During his time on the world's first steam-powered public railway, the bicentenary of which will be the subject of major celebrations in 2025, Hackworth took locomotive design to a new level, paving the way for the international adoption of steampowered rail travel.
A shed associated with his locomotive works and the coaling drops where engines were refuelled have also had their listings upgraded as part of the Stockton and Darlington Railway Heritage Action Zone.
His residence, Soho House, part of the Locomotion museum in Shildon, was originally listed as Grade II* in 1986. However, the revised listing has elevated it into the top 10% of England's most important historic buildings in recognition of Hackworth's huge contribution to the railway revolution.
Worldwide influence
Hackworth served as superintendent between 1825 and 1840. He played a vital role in developing steam engines to meet the significant demands of freight and passenger travel, and by sharing his experience with visiting engineers and rail promoters, he directly influenced the development of steam railways on both sides of the Atlantic.
George Stephenson designed No. 1 Locomotion, the first engine to run on the S&DR, and with his son Robert set up Robert Stephenson & Co to build engines they hoped to sell to the new breed of steam railways emerging in Britain and overseas. However, at first the Stephenson locomotives were not up to the task of running regular long distances and kept breaking down.
Hackworth's proven engineering skills demonstrated at Wylam Colliery came to Stephenson's attention when he worked as a relief manager at his locomotive works in Newcastle, and he was offered the role of S&DR superintendent on Stephenson's recommendation.
Hackworth rebuilt No. 1 (now on display inside Locomotion) to make it more reliable, and designed Royal George in 1827. It established the supremacy of the locomotive over horses and paved the way for the general adoption of steam.
In 1833 Hackworth established Soho Works and three years later built Russia's first steam locomotive for the Tsarskoye Selo Railway, as well as three of the earliest engines used in Canada (1838), including Samson, which ran on the Albion Mines Railway in Nova Scotia.
The only surviving building associated with Hackworth's works is the Soho Engine Shed, built in 1826 as a warehouse for an iron merchant, and is one of the earliest railway-associated industrial buildings in the world. In 1842 it was leased to Soho Works to the immediate north. However, it became a locomotive shed only after it was bought by the S&DR in 1855.
External restoration
Veronica Fiorato, listing team leader for Historic England in the North, said: “Timothy Hackworth is one of the true pioneers of the railway. His designs helped convince the world that the future of freight and passenger travel lay in steam locomotion, making the S&DR the template for the development of the modern railway.
“It is only fitting that Soho House and the Soho Engine Shed should be upgraded to Grade II* to reflect his huge contribution.”
Niall Hammond, chairman of the Friends of the Stockton & Darlington Railway CIO, said: “The Friends are delighted that these new and upgraded listings not only recognise the significance of this group of fantastic early railway buildings, but also the seminal role of Timothy Hackworth and the S&DR in creating the modern railway which changed the face of the world.
“This is the result of a successful partnership between members of the Friends, utilising their expertise and enthusiasm, and the professional staff at Historic England.
“We look forward to continued working with Historic England and our other partners in the Heritage Action Zone to ensure all the heritage of the S&DR – ‘The Railway that got the World on Track', – is protected, conserved and accessible for the bicentenary in 2025 and the lasting legacy beyond.”
Locomotion head Sarah Price added: “The buildings are of real historical significance and together they tell the story of Shildon's role as the world's first railway town.”
The historic buildings at Locomotion have recently been given an external restoration as part of a £1.8 million project jointly funded by Durham County Council with work carried out by VEST Construction of Bishop Auckland. The project included repainting the exteriors in authentic period colours, replacing damaged or missing brickwork and roof repairs to make them watertight.