Hopetown Carriage Works
Encyclopedia
Hopetown Carriage Works, built in 1853 by Joseph Sparkes in Darlington
, County Durham
), England, was a workshop
of the world's first publicly subscribed passenger railway, the 1825-63 Stockton and Darlington Railway
, and also of the subsequent railway companies into which the SD&R was absorbed. Carriages were built there from 1853 to around 1884. Now preserved, it is still used as a museum workshop.
, as well as maintenance work.
The building belongs to the first generation of workshop
s in railway history. The historical site occupies a triangle of land between the track of the Stockton and Darlington Railway
opened for traffic on the 27th September 1825 and a branch line to a coal
depot opened on the same day. The building is of an extraordinary age for a railway company
building of this type.
slate; the two bay centre section has a Venetian-style entrance feature of a main doorway with smaller doors at either side, and displays stepped, wedge-shaped stonework. The main door, which is now bricked up, was used originally for entry and exit of the rolling stock (each carriage
was rotated on a turntable
in the centre of the building to face this door). This centre section is flanked by two, eight-bay single storey halls.
terminal complex, workshop
of the world's first modern railway.
, Locomotion No 1
, was on display in a workshop
for locomotive
s of Alfred Kitching
on the same site from 1857 to the 1880s. It is also renowned as the office used from 1946 by the last Chief Mechanical Engineer of the LNER, Arthur Peppercorn
.
, which constructed the new locomotive
60163 Tornado there. The other half of the building is used as a workshop
by the North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group
(NELPG) for heavy overhaul of the NELPG collection of locomotive
s.
Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, part of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It lies on the small River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, not far from the main river. It is the main population centre in the borough, with a population of 97,838 as of 2001...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
), England, was a workshop
Workshop
A workshop is a room or building which provides both the area and tools that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods...
of the world's first publicly subscribed passenger railway, the 1825-63 Stockton and Darlington Railway
Stockton and Darlington Railway
The Stockton and Darlington Railway , which opened in 1825, was the world's first publicly subscribed passenger railway. It was 26 miles long, and was built in north-eastern England between Witton Park and Stockton-on-Tees via Darlington, and connected to several collieries near Shildon...
, and also of the subsequent railway companies into which the SD&R was absorbed. Carriages were built there from 1853 to around 1884. Now preserved, it is still used as a museum workshop.
Overview
The first floor of the higher part of the building may have been used as a pattern store and drawing office. The ground floor hall was used for the construction of carriages for the railway companyRailway company
A railway company or railroad company is an entity that operates a railroad track and/or trains. Such a company can either be private or public...
, as well as maintenance work.
The building belongs to the first generation of workshop
Workshop
A workshop is a room or building which provides both the area and tools that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods...
s in railway history. The historical site occupies a triangle of land between the track of the Stockton and Darlington Railway
Stockton and Darlington Railway
The Stockton and Darlington Railway , which opened in 1825, was the world's first publicly subscribed passenger railway. It was 26 miles long, and was built in north-eastern England between Witton Park and Stockton-on-Tees via Darlington, and connected to several collieries near Shildon...
opened for traffic on the 27th September 1825 and a branch line to a coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
depot opened on the same day. The building is of an extraordinary age for a railway company
Railway company
A railway company or railroad company is an entity that operates a railroad track and/or trains. Such a company can either be private or public...
building of this type.
Construction
The two-storey building is constructed of small coursed squared sandstone with brick and freestone dressings and has a roof of WelshWales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
slate; the two bay centre section has a Venetian-style entrance feature of a main doorway with smaller doors at either side, and displays stepped, wedge-shaped stonework. The main door, which is now bricked up, was used originally for entry and exit of the rolling stock (each carriage
Carriage
A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
was rotated on a turntable
Turntable (railroad)
A railway turntable is a device for turning railroad rolling stock. When steam locomotives were still in wide use, many railroads needed a way to turn the locomotives around for return trips as their controls were often not configured for extended periods of running in reverse and in many...
in the centre of the building to face this door). This centre section is flanked by two, eight-bay single storey halls.
Importance
The building is Grade II* listed but is presently in need of significant maintenance. Darlington Borough Council considers it of worth for conservation because of its importance in the evolution of railway building design and its rarity as a surviving example of the period. Accordingly they they listed it in their "Buildings At Risk Register (Feb. 2008)" with a category 4 status (defrined as covering “vulnerable” buildings, which may soon be at risk).. It is also an important part of the Stockton and Darlington railwayStockton and Darlington Railway
The Stockton and Darlington Railway , which opened in 1825, was the world's first publicly subscribed passenger railway. It was 26 miles long, and was built in north-eastern England between Witton Park and Stockton-on-Tees via Darlington, and connected to several collieries near Shildon...
terminal complex, workshop
Workshop
A workshop is a room or building which provides both the area and tools that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods...
of the world's first modern railway.
Past uses
The first commercially used steam locomotiveSteam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
, Locomotion No 1
Locomotion No 1
Locomotion No. 1 is an early British steam locomotive. Built by George and Robert Stephenson's company Robert Stephenson and Company in 1825, it hauled the first train on the Stockton and Darlington Railway on 27 September 1825....
, was on display in a workshop
Workshop
A workshop is a room or building which provides both the area and tools that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods...
for locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s of Alfred Kitching
William and Alfred Kitching
William and Alfred Kitching built steam locomotives at Darlington, England, in the 19th century. It is believed that their workshop was on, or near, the site of Hopetown Carriage Works.-Preservation:...
on the same site from 1857 to the 1880s. It is also renowned as the office used from 1946 by the last Chief Mechanical Engineer of the LNER, Arthur Peppercorn
Arthur Peppercorn
Arthur Henry Peppercorn, OBE was the last Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London and North Eastern Railway.- Career :...
.
Present uses
The southern end of the building is used at present by the A1 Steam Locomotive TrustA1 Steam Locomotive Trust
The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust is a Darlington, England based charitable trust formed in 1990 for the primary purpose of completing the next stage of the locomotive heritage movement, the building a new steam locomotive. This project became the construction of 60163 Tornado, carried out by...
, which constructed the new locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
60163 Tornado there. The other half of the building is used as a workshop
Workshop
A workshop is a room or building which provides both the area and tools that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods...
by the North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group
North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group
The North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group was formed in 1966 with the intention of preserving some of the steam locomotives then still working on regular goods or passenger trains in North East England ....
(NELPG) for heavy overhaul of the NELPG collection of locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s.