THE company that helped to make Darlington the centre of locomotive production is to be wound up - more than 30 years after production ceased.

Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns (RSH) has not built a train since 1964 when production came at an end at the company's works.

Fondly known as "Stivvies", the Darlington works - situated a couple of miles from the town centre on a 23-acre site opposite Springfield Road - was once the town's biggest private employer.

The company was founded by George and Robert Stephenson in Newcastle in 1823, and the factory was the first locomotive works in the world.

It was here in 1825 that the first locomotive for use on a public railway was built - the famous Locomotion that is still preserved at Darlington Railway Museum.

The firm of R and W Hawthorn was founded even earlier in 1817, also in Newcastle, and was originally a steam engine builder.

In 1901, Stephensons moved out of the Newcastle factory to a site in Darlington.

A joint company was formed in 1937 when R and W Hawthorn was purchased by Robert Stephenson and Co, of Darlington.

Both factories were kept, building designs from their former separate owners until new designs were finished.

In 1943, RSH became a subsidiary of the Lancashire Vulcan Foundry company, which was then taken over by English Electric. The RSH name was kept.

A period of poor industrial relations was marked by strikes and walkouts as management sought to introduce new working practices, but production slumped.

The company hit rock bottom shortly after the publication of the Beeching report, which led to the closure of branch lines across the country and to a disastrous downturn in orders.

The last diesel locomotive left the works in April 1964. Only 20 men were still on the payroll when loco D6898 departed.

Twelve months earlier, 900 workers had toiled on the production line.

The Vulcan Works carried on until 2002 and then the site at Newton Le Willows was sold.

Now all that remains is a footnote in company history - the name Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns Ltd - and even that was wound up after a meeting of creditors last month decided to place the name into liquidation.

A spokeswoman for Begbies Traynor, of Liverpool, which is carrying out the liquidation, said last night: "It's a very famous name but I'm afraid it has reached the end of the line."