‘Thrilling’ discovery is made by Network Rail while searching for documents. George Stephenson had penned details about the Stockton and Darlington Railway. The book hadn’t been seen since the 1950s and was found in 20,000 documents

LONDON: A rare notebook detailing plans for the world’s first ever railway has been described as a ‘thrilling’ discovery.
The leather-bound 12 inch by 12 inch notebook was discovered by historians in Network Rail’s national archive.
Penned by ‘Father of the Railways’ George Stephenson, the book was written in in 1822 and includes costings and remarks about a survey into the proposed Stockton and Darlington Railway, which was built three years later.
The line operated from 1825 to 1863 to connect collieries and to quicken the delivery of coal for shipping.
John Page, Network Rail’s records assistant stumbled across the notebook when searching for documents in April this year and said it had been a ‘thrilling’ discovery.
The book had not been seen since the 1950s but was uncovered among 20,000 documents on the shelves.
John, from York, said: ‘Because it is a historical document it would never have been loaned out or requested as it didn’t impact the running of the railway so since the 1950s, it has sat on a shelf unnoticed amongst hundreds of other packets.

‘I was looking for a deed for one of our internal colleagues and purely out of curiosity decided to look through the packets, and there it was, and what a thrill it was to find.’
The notes have now gone on show at the National Railway Museum in York and were unveiled on September 27 – the 193rd anniversary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington line.
The notebook also includes Stephenson’s survey of engineer George Overton’s original 1821 line and amendments he recommended.

The notebook is bound in its original form and is written in ink with pencil annotations.
Stephenson’s son, Robert, designed the Rocket, which is currently on display in Manchester and due to find its permanent home at the National Railway Museum.
The Rocket was designed and built by Stephenson with the help of Robert, and Henry Booth, for the 1829 Rainhill Trials.
The Trials were held by the Liverpool and Manchester Railway Company, in order to find the best locomotive engine for a railway line that was being built to serve the two English cities. 15,000 people came along to see the race of the locomotives.

The Rocket was the first locomotive to have a multi-tube boiler – with 25 copper tubes rather than a single flue or twin flue.
Sir Peter Hendy CBE, chair of Network Rail, said: ‘George Stephenson’s original survey of the Stockton and Darlington Railway ushered in the railway age, not only in Britain, but around the world.
‘Network Rail is delighted and proud to have found this astonishing artefact, and very pleased to have it displayed by our friends at the National Railway Museum.
‘Then, as now, railways were essential to creating economic growth, jobs and housing.’

Catherine Robins, interpretation developer at the National Railway Museum said: ‘This is a rare and historic document which includes many new and interesting details which help bring the story of the railway’s early years to life.’
The father of the railways: How George Stephenson and his son helped shape train travel across the world






