PROTECTING & PROMOTING THIS CORNERSTONE OF THE ORIGIN STORY OF THE WORLD'S RAILWAYS

An affiliated sub-group of the Friends of the Stockton & Darlington Railway.

The Brusselton Incline is a Georgian engineering marvel near Shildon in County Durham in the United Kingdom and is a stage in George Stephenson's original route of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, the world's first public steam passenger railway company.

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OUR STORY

THE BRUSSELTON INCLINE

The decision to invest in steam powered railways in the early 19th Century was driven by the need to transport coal, from the hilly South Durham Coalfields, east to ports on the River Tees.

Early steam locomotives could pull trains of coal wagons, known as 'chaldrons' as long as the route was relatively flat. The challenge facing the Stockton & Darlington Railway was that the coal they were transporting had to, first, be brought over two great hills.

The solution they devised was to create two rope hauled inclines over the hills; both powered by static steam engines. The Brusselton Incline is the second, and easternmost, of these inclines. Today, many features still survive, telling us much about the ingenuity and resolve of those early railway engineers.

The Brusselton Incline Group was formed to act as protectors and champions of that legacy.

WHAT THE BRUSSELTON INCLINE GROUP DO

MAINTENANCE

We want people to be able to explore Brusselton Incline for themselves. To keep everything visible and in good condition we have a maintenace schedule.

INTERPRETATION

To help people understand and enjoy the Brusselton Incline, and the context in which it is set, we work with local authorities to create interpretation features.

RESEARCH

There is plenty still to learn about the Brusselton Incline, its operation and engineering. We invest time to learn more and share our findings.

OUR PROJECTS

Starting with the original incline clearance in 2014, the Brusselton Incline Group usually have at least one onegoing active project aimed at improving our understanding of, or public access to, the assets that make up the Brusselton Incline from its westernmost roots in the Gaunless Valley through to its easternmost foot in the site of the former Shildon railway works.

We're particularly active at the moment working on and planning new things in readiness for out part in the steam passenger railway Bicentenary in 2025. Recent projects include:

An installation of original stone sleeper blocks and heritage rail designs, sited at the former Masons Arms Crossing in Shildon, where the first coal wagons having traversed the incline were eventually attached to locomotives.
Restoration of a disused railway signal post and gear that stands near the Masons Arms marking the entrance to the former works site.