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Colin Bainbridge | all galleries >> Darlington Local History Postcards >> Darlington Railway Photographs > The No. 1 Engine on the Original Rails. Stockton & Darlington Railway
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The No. 1 Engine on the Original Rails. Stockton & Darlington Railway

(Date Unknown)*

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Michelle Scott 30-Sep-2025 06:21
Hello. I have this post card at home and written on the back dated 13.06.06. You will recognise R Goole in the picture. I believe the tall younger gentleman is therefore R Goole. Hope this helps.
Helen Herbel 15-Jul-2015 03:34
Would like Kay to get in touch with me as William Craggs was also my great great grandfather. helenherbel@bigpond.com
Seems as though the photo maybe the driver who continued on the job after William died in 1895 if the photo was in 1900.
Guest 09-Dec-2014 18:54
I believe this man is my ggg grand father also
kay 03-Apr-2012 12:52
sorry see below William Craggs worked on railways from 1835 not 1935
kay 03-Apr-2012 12:49
I believe the man on the right is my ggg grandfather. His name was William Craggs and from what I know he drove No 1 for many years. He worked on railways from 1935 and died in 1895. I am trying to track the link to Ella Craggs who was my grandmother
Chris Davies 17-Jan-2011 09:57
Colin,
Postcard is from the "British Mirror" series and is hand coloured. Examples of this postcard are common.
Info that I have is as follows:- Phototaken in the scrap yard at North Road station, Darlington (Station in background). It is not on the original rails of the S&DR! Such rails were of fish belly type totally replaced in 1833 when the full steam locomotive operations of both goods and passenger traffic took place. Prior to that year all the passenger trains were horse drawn by private companies or individuals under license. The S&DR bought out these licenses because of the high number of complaints from passengers who reported drunkardnress by the drivers, surliness by the drivers when they ran late, drivers stopping for drinks of ale at pubs along the way and so on!
The engine is of course "Locomotion No.1" and is seen with the shortened chimney that it used when taking part in the 1875 and 1925 celebrations. Apparently the old gentleman on the right was its last driver (in 1875) and the photograph dates from around 1900.
The boiler was not the original of 1825 as that was replaced by Hackworth in the early 1830's. The engine not only opened the S&DR in 1825 it was the opening locomotive for the Stockton to Middlesbrough branch in 1846 although by then it was not used for any activity other that ceremonial. The Pease family purchased it in 1850 for use as a stationary boiler. The NER restored it in 1875 including another boiler replacement and replacement of the valve gear but to its original design. Plkaced on a plinth outside the station at North Road it was removed to take part in the 1925 celebrations. The boiler was declared unsafe so a replica tender was built which housed a petrol engine to push the engine along. Oily rags were burned in the smokebox to give the illusion of the engine being in steam during the pageant.
I Logan Richardson 02-Aug-2009 11:51
My best guess is that this can be dated to 1900 on the 75th anniversery of the Stockton / Darlington Railway
Lynn Wallace 01-Aug-2009 15:45
I have a copy of piece in a Darlington newspaper relating to the Golden Wedding of my GG Grandparents which mentions that Mr Robert Metcalf my GGGG Gandfather helped lay the first line from Darlington to Shildon and lit the first fire in this engine with the aid of his pipe glass while a messenger was sent to Shildon for a candle and lantern. I wonder if this is the occasion.