A MINIATURE steam engine is returning home 185 years after it was designed and built in Etherley.
The small working model engine, which stands just 49cm tall, is the subject of a free talk on Friday, September 24, organised by the Etherley Incline Group, a sub division of the Friends of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (FSDR).
John Raw, from the Etherley Incline Group, said: “Most people think the Stockton Darlington Railway stopped at Shildon, but it didn’t.
“Steam engines back then didn’t have enough power to get up the incline so there was a full-sized engine housed at the top of the hill and it was used to wind the engines up to the summit with hemp rope, then down into the Gaunless valley at St Helen’s where it was flat.”
The small model engine, which was made by Thomas Greener Jnr in 1836 when he was living in the engineman’s house on the Etherley Incline, has a vertical cylinder driving the crankshaft via parallel motion.
He added: “It’s believed to be an apprentice piece. Thomas was apprenticed to Timothy Hackworth at the time training to be an engineer. It hasn’t been in Etherley since 1876.”
The engine has been on display at the National Science Museum, in London, and at the York Museum.
The talk, which is being held at Toft Hill Community Centre, is being given by Dr Tom Walker, who owns the engine, having had it passed down three generations of his family.
Various Stockton and Darlington Railway displays, provided by the Friends of SDR will be on view throughout the event. Refreshments will be available.
There will be 12 stalls showing aspects of the railway, one for each section of the line to Stockton.
Doors open at 1pm with Dr Walker scheduled to give his talk at 3pm.
Refreshments will be available and entry is free.
For more information contact Mr Raw by email at jraw2883@aol.com.
