A HISTORIC railway that ran through the Gaunless Valley could be key in helping secure the Tees Valley City of Culture status and trigger significant economic regeneration of the broader region.
Some £700,000 has been secured to boost the heritage potential of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (SDR) line, of which the Haggerleases line was an important branch.
The line connected Barnard Castle to Bishop Auckland and was fundamental in transporting coal from the pits around Cockfield Fell.
In the coming months cash is to be spent discovering the potential of the branch to attract new tourists to the area.
The SDR line is of international significance because it was the first commercial line to use steam locomotives and triggered the popularity of trains as transport across the globe.
The aim now is to see what remains of the Haggerleases line. Trish Pemberton, chairwoman of the Friends of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, said cash would be used for a “walking the line” event.
She added: “It is a community involvement project where we literally walk the length of the line looking for anything leftover from the railway.
“Ultimately, we want to publish a walk booklet to complement the seven already done for the main line.”
This will be part of a greater scheme to boost the SDR line ahead of its 200th anniversary in 2025. This, in turn, coincides with a bid by Tees Valley to be recognised as a City of Culture that year.
Ms Pemberton, who lives in Bolam, said: “From our point of view 2025 is a window of opportunity that won’t come around again.
“It is of international significance. This is a major international event that is coinciding with the City of Culture bid.”
A major part of the scheme is to develop the main line as an attraction for visitors, not only for train enthusiasts, but for a range of people with diverse interests such as sport, culture and heritage.
Ms Pemberton said: “The ultimate goal is to have a walking and cycling route along the railway.
“If we are able to construct the route it is 26 miles long, which is the length of a marathon.
“We want to use it as a vehicle for heritage regeneration in the area.”
People visiting the route are likely to stay in the area overnight, generating additional income for the region, she said.
Ms Pemberton said the initiative was conceived in 2015 during a conference including Durham, Darlington and Stockton councils.
Initial cash from the councils paid for a track-bed audit of the mainline and a later “walk the line” was done using Heritage Lottery Fund Cash. The latest raft of funding of about £700,000 to be spent in the next five years was sourced from Historic England.
