Where better to go on a nostalgic train journey than the world's oldest surviving railway? There has been a railway of sorts at Tanfield since the early 18th century. In its earliest form it was once a horse drawn line to carry coals from the nearby mines. The roads were impossible for coal carting by horse in anything but dry conditions. Tracked waggonways were developed and these allowed a horse to pull far heavier loads to simple docks where the fuel was loaded onto barges known as keels.
Ride on Historic Transport on the Steam Trains of Tanfield Heritage Railway
Today a group of enthusiasts have restored a section of this railway line and opened it to visitors. There is nothing like the smell of steam to bring back memories of the heydays of this mode of transport. The Tanfield Railway runs through three miles of idyllic woodland passing the world's oldest surviving railway bridge at Causey Arch. This steam railway is very much part of the industrial heritage of the Durham Dales and Northeast England and it is now there for the enjoyment of all.
Tanfield Railway Depends on a Network of Dedicated Volunteers
This railway runs both diesel and steam trains and the engines and rolling stock take many man hours of voluntary labour to maintain them. Track maintainence and train workers and station staff all contribute their time freely to help Tanfield tick over. Other volunteer tasks include gardening, working in the shop, catering and leaflet distribution. There is volunteer work for all tastes and skills at Tanfield and youngsters over 12 years can participate in a successful Youth Group scheme
All Aboard For a Nostalgic Look At Our Steam Train Heritage
Andrews House Station is the place to buy your tickets and momentos. The station staff are all dressed up in period clothing and this really adds to the realistic effect of being on an old railway of yesteryear. The steam whistle sounds to tell all the passengers to get on board and the flag is waved to set the wheels in motion. On the footplate the engine is being stoked with extra coal. The driver pulls a few shiny brass levers and the train is off rumbling along the rails towards Causey Arch Station.
The World's Oldest Surviving Railway Arch From the Early Days of Coal Mining
It is worth alighting from the train at this station to view the famous Causey Arch. Built in the 1720s this one arch bridge allowed coal to be brought from nearby mines on a horsedrawn waggonway. There is a replica of one of these early wagons between the railway station and the Causey Arch. The builder's were paid under £750 Sterling for this huge project and the entire cost was under £2,500 Sterling. A rich cartel of local coal mine owners shared the construction costs
Railway and Coal Mining Heritage At Its Best
Visiting this heritage site on the edge of the Durham Dales gives visitors a glimpse into how things really were. Yes, people do to tend to look back on the era of steam travel in particular with great fondness and nostalgia. The reality of those times was somewhat different altogether. Taking a steam journey on the Tanfield Railway may help explode some of the myths surrounding the days of steam. Yes, a journey in past times on a steam train was a memorable event. Today at Tanfield you can also see both the nostalgia and the sometimes grimy and less luxurious side to steam travel.
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