A new BBC documentary will follow a team of volunteers at the oldest railway in the world as they restore a 19th-century locomotive to its former glory.
The World’s Oldest Railway, a part of the Our Lives series, will air on BBC One later this month.
The documentary will focus on the work of volunteers on the Tanfield Railway in the North East of England, which is considered the world’s oldest railway at 300 years old.
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A hundred years before the world’s very first passenger railway journey set off from Stockton to Darlington, the Tanfield Railway carried coal from Tanfield’s collieries to the River Tyne.
The World’s Oldest Railway sees a team of rail enthusiasts at Tanfield work against the clock to complete specially restored engines in time for their biggest ever event.
Volunteers work to restore Twizell, a locomotive built in 1891 by Robert Stephenson & Co, to its former glory, as well as preparing one of the original carriages from The Railway Children for the celebrations.
The documentary introduces young train enthusiasts Sophie, Dave and Tom as they keep the railway going, alongside Peter and Bob who restored the railway in the 1970s.
With six steam engines and the oldest loco in the UK Furness 20 visiting the railway, together with 500 visitors it’s a logistical challenge. But with just a few weeks to go until the big event will the restoration projects be finished in time?
Watch The World’s Oldest Railway episode of Our Lives on BBC One and iPlayer on Tuesday 15 July at 7pm.
