Community leaders in County Durham are joining forces to protect one of the area’s “hidden historic gems”.
Heighington Station sits on the route of the old Darlington to Stockton Railway, now the Bishop Line, and had the world’s first passenger ticket office – the platform, constructed to help passengers onto George Stephenson’s first locomotives, remains in place.
Now, Durham County Labour Councillors Jimmy Atkinson, Eddy Adam, George Smith and Rob Yorke are working with UTC South Durham Chair, David Land, to secure the building and its future.
It was at Heighington Station that Stephenson placed Locomotion No.1 on the track prior to its first journey. Currently unoccupied, the group want to use the building to inspire and train future engineering pioneers.
Cllr Atkinson said:
“Heighington Station is one of Durham’s hidden historic gems. A building that played such a significant role in our, and the UK’s, proud industrial heritage must be preserved and its story known to local people.
“Everyone knows about Stephenson and the Darlington to Stockton Railway, but few recognise the significance of the various locations along that famous route. Our plan will harness the history of this Station to house and inspire the next generation of engineers – where better to learn than in the very location that regularly played host one of the greatest industrial minds the world has ever known?”
The councillors are working with the UTC to try and secure funding to purchase Heighington Station and turn it into an asset – with part of the building housing a café and the rest converted to workshops that will be utilised by the UTC.
David Land said:
“We are talking about a building with real historic significance. It’s currently disused, but we have a vision to get the building back into use and believe we can create not only a genuine community asset, but also a genuine asset for learning.
“The Station is perfect for the UTC – it’s in the ideal location and can be adapted to provide a space to inspiring the next generation of engineers, it gives our young people a great place to learn and develop. I genuinely hope we can secure the funding to realise this brilliant community asset.”
The group is currently exploring a number of potential funding bids, that will help secure the investment to purchase the building from private ownership.
Cllr Atkinson added:
“Heighington Station was the first world’s passenger ticket office, it has its original platform, it has original signalling…this is a genuine monument to historic engineering achievement. It is incumbent upon us to secure it for future generations to visit and enjoy.
“How can an engineering student not feel excited working in the same rooms that George Stephenson once visited? This Station isn’t just of national significance for our railways, it’s of national significance to our industrial history.”