A NEW book for young children has just been published telling the story of the opening day of the Stockton & Darlington Railway.
Called Little Loco’s Big Day, it tells of the first locomotive which hauled the train on that momentous day in 1825.
Trouble brews for Little Loco when the wonky waggons grumble because they want to be pulled by horses, not steam locomotives and Herald the Horse is worried that he'll be replaced by the new technology and put out to grass.
The author is Caroline Hardie, archaeologist and editor for the Friends of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, and the illustrator is fellow archaeologist John Pickin, at one time the Archaeology Officer for County Durham.
“I’ve been researching the Stockton & Darlington Railway for years and feel like I am getting to know some of the characters involved – not unlike the original engine drivers that got to know the personalities of their engines,” says Caroline. “Writing an illustrated book for young children was a fun way to introduce them to their internationally important railway heritage, especially with the major events of the 200th anniversary coming up in 2025.”
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And so the story, of course, is true, with Little Loco – based on Locomotion No 1 – being the main character.
“You can imagine how anxious she must have been on that opening day with hundreds, some say thousands, of people watching,” says Caroline. “What if she failed?”
George the Genius and Talented Timothy are renowned engineers George Stephenson and Timothy Hackworth who made Little Loco in Newcastle. They are there to support her.
Mr Meynell’s band from Yarm also puts in an appearance as does the un-named man who had a waggon run over his foot on the opening day:
The band played “Oom-pah-pah, oom-pah-pah root toot-toot,”
Little Loco joined in with a hoot, hoot-hoot!
The passengers laughed and wiped away soot,
As Wonky Waggon ran over a man’s foot.
The first batch of 150 waggons purchased by the S&DR, with their dodgy wheels, were indeed very wonky.
“Herald the Horse is based on the herald who marched at the front of the procession on horseback, but also represents all the horses who would be put in a horrible home for hopeless horses if locomotives caught on as the best way to pull a train,” says Caroline, who has even written a song telling of Herald’s innermost concerns as 'the iron horse' steams into view.
Herald’s trials, and most of the other events in the story, are seen in John Pickin’s illustrations being observed by snipes.
“In 1821, when the proposed railway route was surveyed, it was said that the area which was to become New Shildon consisted of swamp and only the call of the snipe could be heard,” says Caroline. So the birds with the long pointy beaks make regular appearances as, it must be said, does a lot of poo in the best possible taste.
The book is suitable for children aged six to seven or younger. It can be purchased from the museum shop at Locomotion in Shildon and also from therailwaystation.shop where there is a section of the website dedicated to Little Loco with other fun facts and activities, like train cake making and Herald’s song.
Little Loco’s Big Day, written by Caroline Hardie and illustrated by John Pickin, is £8.99
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