In their critically acclaimed book the Auckland Railway Group give an excellent insight into the origins, construction and early operation of George Stephenson’s 1825 Stockton and Darlington Railway.

Uniquely the book also provides a detailed walking guide following the first five miles of the route, from Witton Park Colliery to New Shildon.

This hilly section of the line, across the Etherley and Brusselton ridges, presented many engineering and operational challenges that were to test the ingenuity of both George Stephenson and Timothy Hackworth

 The generously illustrated book is available from our bookshop priced at £8.99 plus £2.00 p&p

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For those wanting an on-line overview of this historic section of the world’s first truly commercial railway please follow the links below:

The first five miles of the 1825 line was to include the world’s first cast iron railway bridge. The stone abutments to Stephenson’s Gaunless Bridge are still in place to this day!

Etherley engine house, operational from 1825 to 1843. It was up the north incline to Etherley top the first 12 wagons of coal from Phoenix Pit were hauled on that historic day of the 27th September 1825.

Brusselton engine house, operational from 1825 to 1856. Hackworth’s modified installation of 1831 was at rue feat of industrial engineering.