Shildon Railway Institute was founded in 1833 by Timothy Hackworth for the benefit of the community of Shildon and the surrounding area. The Institute's community archive was started in 2019 to reconnect the Institute with its own, and the community's rich heritage - and exists as an accessible reference for people within Shildon and beyond. 

The community archive is curated alongside a library of over 1800 books on local, regional, national and international rail history as well as other local industries, momories and pastomes throughout the years.

Our collection focuses on the industrial and cultural heritage of Shildon's people, featuring collections relating to the Institute, to both of Shildon's railway works, to the town's railway operating history, its musical and sporting contributions, and everyday life for generations of Shildonians.

This searchable catalogue is provided to help you understand what exists within the collection, enabling you to browse wherever you are, though`the collection can be visited and viewed by the public on open days and by arrangement. Our friendly library and archive team will be happy to assist you in finding items of interest.

TO SEARCH WITHIN OUR COLLECTON:- Please use the search box at the top of this page.

PLEASE NOTE:- The collection catalogue is a work in progress and not all items in the collection have yet been added to the catalogue.