William Thomas, a founder member of the Lit and Phil and the Society of Antiquaries, has largely been erased from the historical record despite his importance as a revolutionary thinker who has more claim to be the father of the modern railway than George Stephenson and Edward Pease combined. He was a very active member of both societies and one of his lectures is particularly apposite this year for it brings into question the importance of the Stockton and Darlington Railway and the narrative of railway history established by the North Eastern Railway at the Jubilee celebrations of 1875. At a lecture on 11th February 1800, William Thomas provided the blueprint for a revolutionary railway system, an inter-city, multi-purpose railway, which carried passengers. This would form the model for the railway revolution later in the nineteenth century. This system was very different from the numerous colliery railways such as the Stockton and Darlington.
The book comprises four essays all linked through the person of William Thomas:
- Elizabeth Montagu – ‘Countess of the Coalpits’
- William Thomas and his World
- George Stephenson’s Stockton and Darlington Railway
- James Stephen Jeans’ Masterpiece of Propaganda
The perverse narrative of railway history established by Henry Pease in 1875 continues to distort the historical record: hence the idea of Railway 200 which is taking place today. This book aims to provide a new narrative which seeks to give more weight to the era of the waggonways and the ideas of William Thomas. It argues that the opening of the S&D in 1825 had no international significance: it was simply another colliery railway serving five small landsale collieries in the Auckland area. The important railways served the great seasale collieries of Tyneside and Wearside.
Les Turnbull graduated in history at Durham University and worked as a schoolmaster, university lecturer and senior education adviser. Upon retirement he became a volunteer at NEIMME where now serves as a member of Council. Les has written several books on the history of mining and his particular interest, the early railways of the Great Northern Coalfield. He is frequently called upon to lecture both within the region and beyond.
NEIMME is the Royal Chartered membership organisation for Engineering, Science and Technology in the North. For more information about our events and the benefits of NEIMME membership see: https://mininginstitute.org.uk/membership/
