Latest news with #railwayheritage
BBC News
02-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Rail inspired landscaping plan revealed for MoD hub in Blackpool
Blackpool's railway heritage has inspired new "public art" landscaping designs to be provided as part of a new £45m office block, close to the town's railway was announced on 19 May that construction had begun on the new office building for more than 1,000 Ministry of Defence (MoD) civil move will be at the heart of the Talbot Gateway regeneration scheme in the have now emerged in planning documents that show the designs include a green landscaped area, referred to as a "rain garden", with benches designed with the town's railway heritage in mind. 'Boost sustainability' These proposals will now be considered by the council. Designers Re-form Landsape stated: "The planting will function as a rain garden and will work in harmony with the recolonised railway character."It could include "a reclaimed railway track" where "surface water will be able to run into the planting areas through breaks in the edge" with "simple, robust" seating."Alongside providing positive visual interest to the scheme, the public art will also boost sustainability by providing a sustainable urban drainage system and reusing existing materials," the plans site has lain empty since the Apollo building was demolished in 2014 but is now to get a new lease of new office development represents the fifth phase of the £350m Talbot Gateway development, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.A £100m civil service hub has already been built on Cookson Street for the Department for Work and Pensions. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
BBC News
31-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Darlington Brick Train to be cleaned up after vandalism
A train sculpture which has become the target of vandals is to be Brick Train was unveiled in 1997 as a tribute to Darlington's proud railway heritage, but vandalism and fly-tipping has seen its condition town's Labour MP Lola McEvoy is working with Darlington Borough Council to improve the site, near Morton Park, after recent public concerns."To see it in such poor condition was heartbreaking – but I'm thrilled to see great progress now being made to restore it in time for such a significant moment in our town's history," the MP said. Renovation work to improve the Brick Train will take place over the summer in time for the 200th bicentenary celebrations of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in September. Improvements include replacing missing bricks, reinstating fencing and signage, landscaping the surrounding area, and creating a long-term maintenance is hoped the latest round of works will help deter people from using the site as a dumping ground in the future, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Stories of pride Ms McEvoy said: "I was here at the opening when I was 10 years old, and it was a big deal then. "But if you're trying to find it as a tourist, you would struggle. We need to see more signage."It puts the area on the map and the town's railway heritage really matters. "This generation need stories of aspiration, hope, and pride of what we've done well in the past."Site managers Equation Properties and landowners BGO Logistics will also work with the council and MP to deliver the Libby McCollom, cabinet member for local services, said: "The Brick Train is a Darlington icon, and I'm proud of the collaborative effort that's gone into revitalising this site."With 2025 marking 200 years since the world's first passenger railway journey began here, it's only right that this sculpture stands proud once again – a testament to our past and a beacon for our future." Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
The Sun
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
The new ‘nine month festival' launching in the UK with historic walking trail, world's first railway and AR games
A NEW 'nine month festival' is taking place across County Durham and Tees Valley this year, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the first journey on the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR). As part of the S&DR200 festival, there will be an interactive walking trail between Shildon and Stockton via Darlington - along the rail route which opened on September 27, 1825. 4 4 Along the route will be one of the world's most important groups of surviving early railway buildings including the Grade II* Heighington Station - the world's oldest railway station. The trail will also include an AR game, which will allow players to "learn more about the pioneering innovations of the S&DR via augmented reality and explore key locations in immersive and dynamic way", according to the festival's website. The S&DR Trail of Discovery is a public walk and cycling path which follows sections of the original S&DR route in County Durham, Darlington and Stockton. It stretches approximately nine miles in total. Along the path, visitors will be able to see highlights from the original route include the world's first train platform, the oldest railway bridge and sites that formerly houses cutting-edge technology of the time. There will also be three museums along the route - Locomotion in Shildon, Hopwtown in Darlington nad Preston Park Museum in Stockton. The first of the three museums is home to Europe 's largest collection of early locomotion's. The second is a reimagined site with interactive experiences telling he story of the early rail. The final museums is set in 120 acres of parkland and is home to many curiosities of local life, as well as a new gallery. The first phase of the Trail will be completed during 2025 which will see a continuous route in County Durham from the very start of the line in Witton Park to Heighington Station. New European Sleeper Train Route Goes Through 15 Destinations This part of the trail will be particularly picturesque. In Darlington, the route will run from Hopetown Museum and pick up the original 1825 route all the way to Middleton St George. Then in Stockton, the route will pick up at Eaglescliffe Station and take you on a journey to Stockton Riverside, via Preston Park, where you can still see remnants of the 1825 line. Also in the summer, 17 illustrated panels will be placed be along the route that tell the story of this pioneering historic event that changed the way the world travels, trades and communicates. The full trail will eventually be fully completed by 2027. Then on September 27, 2025 the official 200th anniversary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) in the north east of England, which gave birth to the modern railway, will be marked with a re-enactment of the first journey. As part of the celebration, the nine-month festival - which began in March - there will be a number of other events, exhibitions and activities open to the public. To date, £57 million has been spent developing the region's cultural infrastructure ahead of the festival. You can also explore three historic train stations as part of new UK tour – but only until the end of the year. Plus, the first ever direct trains from London to Switzerland move even closer to launching. 4
