S&DR Historic Environment Audit 2016 Appendix 3 Shildon to County Boundary

This report arises from a project jointly commissioned by the three local authorities of Darlington Borough Council, Durham County Council and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council which have within their boundaries the remains of the Stockton & Darlington Railway (S&DR) which was formally opened on the 27th September 1825. The report identifies why the S&DR was important in the history of railways and sets out its significance and unique selling point. This builds upon the work already undertaken as part of the Friends of Stockton and Darlington Railway Conference in June 2015 and in particular the paper given by Andy Guy on the significance of the 1825 S&DR line (Guy 2015). This report provides an action plan and makes recommendations for the conservation, interpretation and management of this world class heritage so that it can take centre stage in a programme of heritage led economic and social regeneration by 2025 and the bicentenary of the opening of the line.