Stockton and Darlington Railway Opens

This first part is taken from an extensive article printed in a newspaper, the Newcastle Courant, on October 1st 1825:

ON TUESDAY LAST, September 27th, 1825, that great work, the Stockton and Darlington Rail-Way, was formally opened by the proprietors, for the use of the public. It is a single Rail-Way of 25 miles in length, and will open the London market to collieries in the western part of the county of Durham, as well as facilitate the obtaining of fuel to the country along its line and the northern parts of Yorkshire.

The line of Rail-Way extends from the collieries in a direction nearly from west to east, from Witton Park and Etherly, near West Auckland, to Stockton upon Tees, with branches to Darlington, Yarm, etc., and is chiefly composed of Malleable Iron Rails. At the western extremity of the line, a deep ravine occurs at the river Gaunless; on the summit of the hills on each side of which permanent steam-engines are fixed for the purpose of conveying the goods across the two ridges. The engine on the western side of the vale is called the Etherly Engine, and that on the eastern side the Brusselton Engine; the latter of which, in addition to conveying the goods up from West Auckland, also continues the transit down the eastern side of the ridge: below this, to the east, the country, though undulating, is pretty flat, and the conveyance is performed by locomotive engines. To give eclat to the public opening of the road, a programme was issued, stating that the proprietors would assemble at the permanent steam-engine below Brusselton Tower, about nine miles west of Darlington, at eight o'clock. Accordingly, the committee, after inspecting the Etherly Engine Plane, assembled at the bottom of Brusselton Engine Plane, near West Auckland, and here the carriages, loaded with coal and merchandise, were drawn up the eastern ridge by the Brusselton Engine, a distance of 1960 yards, in seven and a half minutes, and then lowered down the plane on the east side of the hill 880 yards in five minutes. At the foot of the plane the locomotive engine was ready to receive the carriages; and here the novelty of the scene and the fineness of the day had attracted an immense concourse of spectators—the fields on each side of the Rail-Way being literally covered with ladies and gentlemen on horseback, and pedestrians of all kinds. The train of carriages was then attached to a locomotive engine, of the most improved construction, and built by Mr. George Stephenson, in the following order: 1. Locomotive engine, with the Engineer, (Mr. Stephenson,) and assistants. 2. Tender, with coals and water; next, six waggons loaded with coals and flour; then an elegant covered coach, with the committee and other proprietors of the Rail-Way; then 21 waggons, fitted up on the occasion for passengers; and last of all, six waggons loaded with coals, making altogether a train of 38 carriages, exclusive of the engine and tender.

Tickets were distributed to the number of near 300, for those whom it was intended should occupy the coach and waggons; but such was the pressure and crowd, that both loaded and empty carriages were instantly filled with passengers. The signal being given, the engine started off with this immense train of carriages, and here the scene became most interesting—the horsemen galloping across the fields to accompany the engine, and the people on foot running on each side of the road, endeavouring in vain to keep up with the cavalcade. The Rail-Way descending with a gentle inclination towards Darlington, though not uniform, the rate of speed was consequently variable. On this part of the Rail-Way it was wished to ascertain at what rate of speed the engine could travel with safety. In some parts the speed was frequently twelve miles per hour, and in one place, for a short distance, near Darlington, fifteen miles per hour; and at that time the number of passengers was counted to four hundred and fifty, which, together with the coals, merchandise, and carriages, would amount to near ninety tons.

After some little delay in arranging the procession, the engine with her load arrived at Darlington, a distance of eight miles and three quarters, in sixty-five minutes, exclusive of stops, averaging about eight miles an hour. Six carriages, loaded with coals, intended for Darlington, were then left behind; and after obtaining a fresh supply of water, and arranging the procession to accommodate a band of music and passengers from Darlington, the engine set off again. Part of the Rail-Way from Darlington to Stockton has little declivity, and in one place is quite level; and as in the upper part, it was intended to try the speed of the engine; in this part it was proposed to prove her capability of dragging a heavy load, and, certainly, the performance excited the astonishment of all present, and exceeded the most sanguine expectations of every one conversant with the subject. The engine arrived at Stockton in three hours and seven minutes after leaving Darlington, including stops, the distance being nearly twelve miles, which is at the rate of four miles an hour; and upon the level part of the Rail-Way, the number of passengers in the waggons was counted about five hundred and fifty, and several more clung to the carriages on each side, so that the whole number could not be less than six hundred, which, with the other load, would amount to about eighty tons. Nothing could exceed the beauty and grandeur of the scene. Throughout the whole distance, the fields and lanes were covered with elegantly dressed females, and all descriptions of spectators.

Numerous horses, carriages, gigs, carts, and other vehicles travelled along with the engine, and her immense train of carriages, and in some places within a few yards, without the horses seeming the least frightened; and at one time the passengers by the engine had the pleasure of accompanying and cheering their brother passengers by the stage coach, which passed alongside, and of observing the striking contrast exhibited by the power of the engine and of horses; the engine with her six hundred passengers and load, and the coach with four horses, and only sixteen passengers.

In contemplating the events of the day, either in a national point of view, or as the efforts of a company of individuals furnishing a speedy, efficacious, and certain means of traffic to a wide and extended district, it alike excites the deepest interest and admiration; and the immense train of carriages covered with people, forming a load of from eighty to ninety tons, gliding, as it were, smoothly and majestically along the Rail-Way through files of spectators, at such an astonishing rate of speed, left an impression on those who witnessed it, that will never be forgotten.

Part of the workmen were entertained at Stockton, and part at Yarm, and there was a grand dinner for the proprietors and their more distinguished guests at the Town Hall, in Stockton. Mr. Meynell, of Yarm, was in the chair, and the Mayor of the town acted as vice-president.

LOCOMOTION NO. 1 was the first steam locomotive to run on a public railroad but most of the Stockton and Darlington's regular traffic at this time was horse-drawn. The first line built for, and operated solely by, steam haulage was the Liverpool and Manchester Railway.

This project was first discussed in 1822, but opposition to the new railways was so great that the necessary Act of Parliament was not passed until 1826.

George Stephenson, who was appointed Chief Engineer, had considerable difficulties to face in constructing the 31 miles of double line. Apart from tunnels, bridges and viaducts he had to make a way across the marshland of Chat Moss, four miles of bog more than thirty feet in depth.