Welcome to the North East Branch in Darlington. Darlington was in right at the very beginning of railways in England, being one end of the first public railway to use steam locomotives. The Stockton and Darlington Railway opened in 1825. Coal mines in the area needed to get their products to ships at Stockton and horse drawn waggons (two ‘g’s!) were not able to carry the rapidly increasing weights being demanded. Whilst coal was carried in wagons hauled by steam locomotives, passenger coaches were still hauled by horses until 1833 when carriages hauled by the steam locomotives were introduced. The S&DR was instrumental in determining the national – indeed international - standard track gauge of 4ft 8.5 inches, or 1435mm in modern day speak – that measurement being the width between the wheels of the horse drawn waggons running on waggonways, which preceded steel rail railways. Moving on, Darlington was established as a Locomotive Works, in 1863, for the North Eastern Railway turning out locomotives to the design of George Stephenson, Sir Vincent Raven and, once the London North Eastern Railway had been established, many of Sir Nigel Gresley’s designs were constructed at Darlington. Following nationalisation in 1947, Darlington was the works of choice for many Riddles Standard design.

The RCTS North East Branch was established in the late 1940s, initially in Newcastle, later bringing in the second meeting centre in Darlington. At present the Newcastle end of the operation is ‘out of service’, with indoor meetings centred on Darlington a short distance from the station.

Please see below for details of our next few meetings. We look forward to seeing you if you are able to come along.