The coal producing area around Shildon and Bishop Auckland was unfortunate in having no navigable waterway; consequently coal supplies for the Darlington area had to be carried in the panniers of packhorses and asses. The effect of this was to treble the price for coal at Darlington compared to the pithead. In October 1768, Robert Whitworth put forward plans for a canal from Winston (9 miles west of Darlington) to Stockton, which would have only served a district outside of this area and the plan was dropped.

After years of fruitless discussions the subject came up again at a dinner party held in Stockton in 1810, when Leonard Raisbeck suggested a railway from Winston to Stockton via Darlington. The famous engineer Rennie was engaged to make a survey, and in 1813 he came out in favour of a canal on the same course as Whitworth had recommend earlier. The matter was allowed to rest until in May 1818, when a further report was issued, this time after a survey by George Leather. The proposed canal would have bypassed Darlington and Yarm completely, a fact that spurred Richard Miles, Jonathan Backhouse and others to seek another opinion. They went to George Overton, a Welsh engineer who was related to the Cairns family of Yarm. Overton reported upon the feasibility of a canal or railway, the latter at an estimated cost of £124,000, passing through Darlington and near to Yarm.

Overton presented his report on 29 September 1818. To enable the scheme to be considered at the next session of Parliament the plans were hurriedly prepared by the Darlington Committee and deposited by the end of the month, even though it had not been decided whether a canal would be dug or a railway would be built. The railway option was finally selected on 13 November 1818. Meanwhile the Stockton Committee were still advocating a route bypassing Darlington.

The first Stockton and Darlington Railway bill was narrowly rejected by 106 votes to ninety-three. A further application was made in 1820, but on the death of George III the bill was withdrawn. The Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) was finally authorised by an Act of Parliament dated 19 April 1821, to construct what would later be promoted as the World’s First Passenger Railway. The line was to be built from Witton Park Colliery to Stockton, together with branches to Yarm Bridge, Darlington Northgate Bridge, Coundon Turnpike, Evenwood and Stockton.

The first rails were laid in May 1822, marked by a plaque on what was to be billed as the world’s first Railway Booking office at St. John’s Crossing, Stockton. George Stephenson resurveyed Overton’s original route and a second Act of Parliament was obtained on 23 May 1823, authorising the route to be constructed based on Stephenson’s survey along with authorisation of the branch from Darlington to a coal depot at Croft. The company was also authorised to use locomotive power for the haulage of their trains.

The line was opened on 27 September 1825 from the Witton Park Collieries near West Auckland, over the inclines at Etherley and Brusselton then via Shildon, Darlington and Fighting Cocks to staithes on the banks of the River Tees at Stockton.

On that day, between 7am and 8am, 12 wagons of coal left the Phoenix Pit, near the end of the line at Witton Park Colliery. The wagons were hauled up the Etherley North Incline and descended to St. Helens. A further wagon, loaded with sacks of flour, was added to the train, which was then hauled up to the Brusselton Engine House and lowered into Shildon. Waiting at the Mason’s Arms was Locomotion with further wagons and the company’s solitary coach. The wagons from Phoenix Pit and St. Helens were added to the train, which then comprised-

When the train arrived at Darlington, six wagons were detached and the coal distributed to the poor of the town. Two wagons were added to the train, which then continued to Stockton for completion of the day’s festivities.

The directors of the S&DR were eager to develop their railway as part of a north south railway for County Durham. On 19 April 1842 the railway was opened through Shildon Tunnel to South Church, passing through the east–west ridge that rises to the 500ft contour to the north of the town. The S&DR crossed this ridge by means of the Brusselton Inclines and a further pair of inclines carried the Black Boy Branch over the same ridge to reach collieries on the north side to the east of Bishop Auckland. Although this branch had been authorised in the 1821 act, construction was delayed until the success of the S&DR was assured. The branch was opened in 1827, with horses working it initially until the winding engine on the crest of the ridge was completed. It is estimated that the transport of coal to Shildon by rail instead of horse and cart resulted in a saving of 6.5d (3p) per ton. In addition to the Black Boy Colliery, the branch also served the Adelaide, Eldon and Deanery pits. By 1842 the annual tonnages were-

Joseph Pease, Thomas Maynell and Henry Stobart constructed the line through Shildon Tunnel, without an authorising Act of Parliament. It was a great improvement for the owners of the Black Boy Collieries to the north of Shildon. Their coals could now be hauled by locomotives from the colliery, rather than the laborious haulage over the ridge by the Black Boy Inclines.

The S&DR directors arranged for a horse drawn bus service to connect with the southern railhead of the Durham Junction Railway at Rainton Meadows, some 5 miles from the centre of Durham. They even employed a man at Darlington Station, to meet passengers and try to persuade them to make use of this service for their journey northwards. By November 1843, the line had been extended from South Church all the way to Crook, serving Bishop Auckland on the way. It also provided a new means of access to the Phoenix Park Pit area of Etherley, obviating the need for the original inclines and thus allowing the coal to be taken by locomotives via Bishop Auckland.

Though the Brusselton Inclines had been effectively by-passed in 1843, they still provided the only connection at West Auckland with the Haggerleazes Branch, which run westwards up the valley of the River Gaunless to Cockfield. This branch, just over 4 miles long, was authorised in an Act of 1824 but the early financial difficulties of the S&DR prevented it being opened until October 1830. This line served a number of collieries en route and the only way out was via the Brusselton Inclines. A passenger service was provided over these inclines from 1 December 1833 to 13 October 1858. This service was diverted onto the Tunnel Branch, which had opened for goods traffic two years earlier. This branch ran from the north end of Shildon Tunnel to West Auckland, where it joined the 1825 route. Opening of this line obviated the need for the Brusselton Inclines and they too fell into disuse. For five years the trains from St Helens to Bishop Auckland had to reverse at the north end of Shildon Tunnel. Through running of passenger trains was finally achieved on 1 August 1863 (the line having been opened to goods since 1 February 1863) via the curve from Bishop Auckland to Fieldon Bridge Junction in conjunction with the opening of the South Durham and Lancashire Union Railway.

Shildon is the furthest point that the railway reaches on the original 1825 route. Trains to Bishop Auckland continue along the 1842 line through Shildon Tunnel to reach the current terminus. In 1911, the station served a population of 14,916 and 136,879 tickets were issued. Two years later 15,777 gallons of creosote, tar and pitch, 5,911 tons of scrap, 4,558 tons of manure, 3,664 gallons of oil and 48 wagonloads of livestock were handled.

The RCH indicates that Shildon could handle Passenger, Goods, Furniture and Livestock traffic. It was also equipped with a 5-ton crane. The following sidings are listed-

From the station, the route of the 1825 S&DR line had junctions with the original branch to Black Boy Colliery and also with the private Surtees Railway. This line served Haggs Lane, Coppy Crooks and the West Durham Wallsend Collieries, connecting with the S&DR at Shildon. Perhaps the most important artefact on its course is Daniel Adamson’s Coach House, adjacent to the Surtees Arms on Main Street, Shildon. Daniel Adamson operated his coach from the coach-house to the Soho Works and also over the S&DR, since they permitted private contractors to use the railway on payment of the appropriate tolls.

The main line passes the remains of Timothy Hackworth’s Soho Works. Hackworth was appointed Resident Engineer of the S&DR in June 1825 and his headquarters were set up at New, or Low Shildon, which, at that time consisted of four houses under construction. The site was a logical one, marking the changeover from locomotive to incline working, and he was in any case also responsible for the fixed engines on the inclines. Hackworth reconstructed a locomotive built by Robert Wilson as the six-coupled Royal George. This locomotive entered service in November 1827 and was responsible for a 10% increase in the amount of traffic, which was locomotive hauled during the following year. The Royal George is depicted on the badge for Shildon. Nearby are the Soho Cottages where Hackworth lived between 1833 and 1850, which have been converted into the Timothy Hackworth Railway Museum.

The next major landmark is the Mason’s Arms Crossing where Locomotion was coupled onto the inaugural train to Stockton. Beyond the crossing is the former Shildon Wagon Works.

The S&DR started to develop this area in 1825, with the construction of their own locomotive works. When William Bouch succeeded Hackworth in 1840, the operations were split off as a separate concern – The Shildon Works Company, which continued until Bouch’s death in 1876. The construction of an engine shed was proposed in 1848 and the resultant facilities were considerably rebuilt and extended over the years. One of the roundhouses was to exist specially fitted out from 1915 for the North Eastern Railway (NER) Electric Locomotives used to haul the coal trains from Shildon to the marshalling yards at Newport. After closure of the works, the buildings have been converted into industrial units and a go-kart circuit.

Brusselton Incline - the west incline was 1,960 yards long with a rise of 150 feet, whilst the east side was 880 yards long with a rise of 90 feet. The original engine of 1825 was built by Robert Stephenson and Company at a cost of £3,482 15s 0d. It had two 20’ by 8’ diameter boilers, feeding two 30h.p. engines with 30" by 90.5" cylinders. Originally they drove a single drum mounted on a vertical axis, but in 1826, a horizontally mounted double acting drum was installed. The drum consisted of two sections whose diameters were in the same 2:1 ratio as the lengths of the two slopes. A lever-operated brake was also fitted.

In 1831 the traffic over the bank was increased by the installation of a larger engine of 80h.p built by R. & W. Hawthorn, working a 10 ft diameter drum. The maximum capacity was attained on 6 September 1839, with the haulage of 67 runs of 12 wagons per run, giving a total of 904 wagons in a day, loaded with 2,120 tons of coal.

As with most stationary engines a breakdown meant closure of the whole line; this happened when the drum collapsed on 3 April 1837. The Hawthorn engine continued in use until the inclines were by passed by the Tunnel Branch, and it was advertised for sale in 1859. At Brusselton Summit there used to be two rows of cottages, North Terrace and South Terrace. The former consisted of 31 cottages but has been demolished, whilst most of the latter still survives. The most easterly of these, now adapted as a dwelling house was originally the engine-house. It is notable for the unusual patterns in the stonework that resulted in the need to meet the thrusts of the winding engine and pull of the ropes. Behind the house is the pond, which supplied water for the boiler of the winding engine.

Before the incline was lifted, when wagons were being scrapped at Shildon Works, the occasional one would be pushed up the incline to the cottages. It then formed a source of firewood until only the wheels and other ironwork remained, these would be returned to the works for scrap.

Hummerbeck Bridge stands to the west of where the S&DR crossed Burnshouse Lane. This bridge was built to the S&DR’s simple specification that it should be as wide and as high to take a cart fully loaded of hay. Beyond the bridge can be seen the embankment of the bridge which served St Helens Colliery.

The Gaunless Bridge was planned as a three span bridge. However, floods on 10 October 1824 resulted in the bridge being constructed with four spans, each of 12’ 6" span. The bridge was built in wrought iron in two segmental arches, one curving upwards, the other downwards, with the ends uniting in a cast iron boss. Vertical tie rods cast around both members extended upwards to form the support for the railway beams. The bridge rested on three piers, each consisting of two cast iron columns, braced together for additional strength. The original ironwork was carefully removed in 1901 and is now on display at the National Railway Museum, York. The removal was to allow the bridge to be rebuilt for the reopening of a section of the original 1825 route from West Auckland to serve Brusselton Colliery.

West Auckland - In 1911, the station served a population of 6,346 and 51,061 tickets were issued. Two years later 6,316 tons of bricks, 953 tons of manure and 3,599 gallons of creosote, tar and pitch were handled. The station was renamed from St. Helens on 1 March 1878. It was closed to goods traffic on 15 September 1958 and to passenger traffic on 18 June 1962.

The RCH indicates that West Auckland could handle Passenger and Ordinary Goods traffic. It was also equipped with a 2-ton crane. The following sidings are listed-

Beyond the road crossing was the junction with the Haggerleazes Branch, which opened in 1830 to Cockfield, The original route of the S&DR continued to ascend the Etherley Inclines. The south side rose 312 feet in 2185 yards, whilst the north side rose 176 feet in 1100 yards. Robert Stephenson and Company supplied two 15h.p. engines for this bank in 1825, at a cost of £1,982 15s 0d. A single 20’ by 8’ diameter boiler was used to supply the two engines. The engines with 22" cylinders drove a single drum to work the north slope, the southern slope being initially worked as self-acting incline. Later a double acting drum (diameters of 5’ 0" and 10’ 4") was installed, as at Brusselton. Here the disparity of the slope meant that only the simultaneous working of empty wagons up the southern slope and down the northern slope required effort from the engine, whilst loaded traffic was effectively gravity worked. Eight loaded wagons descending the southern slope pulled the next eight wagons up the northern slope.

On 26 January 1831 the drum axle broke and about this time a new 40h.p. engine was commissioned. At the summit of the incline can be found the remains of the engine house and accommodation for the engine men along with the overgrown pond used to supply water for the boiler.

Beyond the bottom of the northern incline, the S&DR passed underneath Etherley Road, before emerging on a low embankment to reach the Phoenix Pit. It then continued northwards to reach the end of the line at Witton Park Colliery.

Auckland Park (NZ 227285) was probably opened circa 1870 and acquired by Bolckow Vaughan a few years later. It was situated on a short link from the branch (0.75 miles) to Black Boy Colliery, from a junction 1 mile South of Bishop Auckland Station on the line to Shildon. The colliery passed to Dorman Long & Co Ltd on 1 November 1929. The colliery ceased production in 1943 but remained in use for pumping, and locomotives continued to be sent to the workshops for repairs.

The Auckland Park Coke Ovens were adjacent to the colliery and were of the beehive type. The locomotives shunting the tubs along the top. Several Bolckow Vaughan collieries used coke ovens locomotives, but although they were all 0-4-0ST’s of 3 feet gauge, most have not been positively identified. There were two such locomotives working at Auckland Park by January 1880. The ovens ceased production in April 1909.

Though the colliery closed in 1943, towards the end of the Second World War, probably in 1945, the old colliery screens and weighbridge were reopened to handle local opencast coal. A private half-mile branch served them from a junction with the Darlington to Shildon line, 1 mile south of Bishop Auckland Station. After nationalisation of the coal industry the Disposal Point became a Deep Mines Establishment operated by the No.4 Area, and its locomotives were included in the No.4 Area stock. New screens were built in the mid 1950’s, by the National Coal Board Opencast Executive (NCBOE), adjacent to the colliery. In March 1958 No. 4 Area gave up its operation to private contractors, the colliery site being partially cleared. Derek Crouch (Contractors) Limited worked the site until closure on 11 September 1959. The site was cleared in 1963.

Black Boy (NZ 223335) was opened in the late 1820’s and was situated on a branch from the Bishop Auckland to Shildon line, 1 mile south of Bishop Auckland Station. The Colliery ceased production in December 1924. It was later owned by the Black Boy Coal Company (an alternative name for Nicholas Wood and Partners) and then by Bolckow Vaughan and Company Limited.

Eldon Colliery (NZ 239280) appears to date from 1864, in its later form. It was served by a one-mile branch, which left the Bishop Auckland to Shildon line, half a mile north of Shildon Tunnel. The colliery changed ownership from the South Durham Coal Company to Pease & Partners in 1903. The colliery was closed in July 1932 and dismantled in 1933 – 1934 by Thomas W Ward Limited. The brickworks (NZ 238280) were formerly attached to Eldon Colliery but were operated by the Eldon Brickworks Limited. Rail traffic was later discontinued.

Etherley Colliery consisted of three pits, viz Jane Pit (NZ 171304), served by sidings west of the Bishop Auckland to Crook line, quarter of a mile north of Etherley Station. George Pit (NZ 185301) served by sidings north of the Bishop Auckland to Crook Line, half a mile east of Etherley Station and the John Pit whose location is uncertain. Originally a stationary engine worked the John Pit, but a locomotive is recorded here in November 1876, with two more serving the Jane and the George Pits. The John and Jane pits appear to have closed before 1900, but the George Pit, latterly known as Old Etherley Colliery (Bush pit) closed in 1917. They were operated by Henry Stobart & Co Ltd.

St Helens Colliery (NZ 196270) was sunk in 1831. A 1-mile branch originally served this colliery from the S&DR’s Brusselton line, but was later served by sidings North of the Tunnel Branch from Shildon to West Auckland, half a mile east of West Auckland Station. The colliery closed in April 1926.