The Stockton & Darlington Railway  which opened in 1825 is world renowned as the birthplace of the modern railway. Large parts of it are legally protected  and cared for. However over its original 26 miles of mainline and a similar distance of short branch lines, it faces many threats. Some of these are the natural processes of decay and erosion, some are through wear and tear of traffic or feet. 

Sadly many threats relate to vandalism, fly tipping and on occasion theft. The S&DR travels through a wide variety of landscapes from rural to urban and presents a number of challenges to overall management.

By the bicentenary in 2025 a variety of partners are working towards Caring for the S&DR, repairing structures, improving access and adding interpretation to make it an accessible and inspirational  place to visit for visitors, those interested in history or simply for communities who enjoy  a great place to walk the dog, take school children or enjoy the landscape of country and town.  

We need help to do this, to identify where the problem areas are and to record issues so we can quickly report these and make sure action is taken to clean up and repair where needed. If you spot a problem along the S&DR please use the following form to let us know. The form can also be downloaded as a .pdf and filled in by hand and posted to us. Thank you for your help.