Celebrating Wakefield's Railway Heritage & Blue Plaque Unveiling

Come along to Wakefield Exchange (WX) on Thursday evening, 2nd October, when we will be exploring Wakefield's railway heritage as a contribution to Railway 200, a national celebration of railway travel over the last 200 years.

Yes, it's the bicentenary of the 'modern railway'. The Stockton and Darlington Railway opened for passengers on 27th September, 1825 - and the modern railway was born.

Wakefield can claim some part in our national railway story and we'll be revealing some quirky and interesting facts about the city's own railway heritage - from Wakefield's claim to be home to the world's first 'public railway' and what we think are possibly the country's oldest railway viaduct and railway tunnel - all predating the Stockton and Darlington opening by around 30 years.

As part of our celebration, we'll be unveiling a blue plaque to commemorate Wakefield-born Thomas Peckett who went on to establish the company of Peckett and Sons in Bristol from where they made a range of industrial locomotives since popularised by Hornby in their OO scale models.

Peckett locomotives were used in industrial settings such as collieries. We know that three of the company's locos were used locally at St John's Colliery, Normanton, to take coal wagons from the colliery to Stanley's Newland Canal Basin from where the coal was taken along the Aire and Calder Navigation to Goole by a unique arrangement that utilised 'Tom Puddings' - container barges that might have acquired their nickname from the fact that they resembled the shape of puddings when laden with coal.

Wakefield Railway Modellers' Society will be exhibiting their model of Stanley Ferry which depicts the Newland Canal Basin.

We will also have stalls and exhibitions from a number of local organisations including:

• Wakefield Historical Society
• LonGBoaT Wakefield (who have adopted Kirkgate Station, Wakefield)
• Pontefract Civic Society
• Rhubarb Design House
• Local artist Tony Wade
• And a group of Victorian enactors who will be modelling Victorian railway uniforms.

(The list is being added to as we near the date of the event.)

Doors 'open' from 6pm with the blue plaque event and presentation starting at 7pm.

The event is open to all and free to attend. You don't have to be a member of Wakefield Civic Society to come.

There will be an on-site bar for anyone wishing to purchase drinks.

Although the event is due to end at around 9pm, the venue remains open until 10:30pm.

While booking for this event is not essential, by booking a ticket, you will help us to identify demand which will help us to plan for a successful event. You will also receive updates on the event as we draw near to 2nd October.