A project 'Sans Pareil'

Mosedale Gillatt Architects have once again teamed up with AE Heritage on an engaging and exciting project. This time it is to deliver a feasibility study for the volunteer led Shildon Railway Institute. Building on their long-running effort to secure a sustainable future for Shildon Railway Institute, the team has reached a major new milestone, as the historic organisation embarks on an ambitious new phase of exploration into how both the Institute and its Grade II listed building can better serve the town and wider community in the twenty-first century. We look forward to working closely with them on this project.

Founded in 1833 by railway pioneers including Timothy Hackworth and Thomas MacNay, under the patronage of the Pease family of Darlington, the Institute is almost as old as New Shildon itself. However, the closure of Shildon Works in 1984 marked the beginning of a period of decline, leaving much of the current 1913 building underused and increasingly difficult to maintain.

In 2019, local residents launched the community-led Save Our Stute campaign, with the initial aim of stabilising the Institute’s fortunes, revitalising the organisation, and beginning the long process of understanding what a meaningful restoration and regeneration project might involve, and undertaking necessary preparation. That groundwork has now led to a significant step forward. With guidance from Durham County Council’s Regeneration, Economy and Growth team, and funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the 193-year-old community non-profit has entered a six-month feasibility study partnership with the multidisciplinary professional team led by Mosedale Gillatt Architects and AE Heritage.

The work will explore not only the condition of the historic building and the challenges of adapting it for modern use, but also how the building — and the land on which it stands — could be reimagined to deliver greater cultural, social and economic benefit for Shildon and the surrounding area.

“This feasibility evaluation, which we have titled ‘Project Sanspareil.’ has the potential to be a huge step forward on our journey,” said Dave Reynolds, Chair of Shildon Railway Institute. “It’s taken a great deal of hard work behind the scenes to reach this point, and we’ve pushed things about as far as we can without specialist expertise. We’re genuinely excited to be welcoming such an experienced and creative team into our community to help us collectively imagine what the world’s first Railway Institution — a pre-Victorian idea — could become in the twenty-first century.”

He added: “Our ambition is to co-create a future that respects what people value about their Institute today, while building on it in ways that are relevant, inclusive and innovative. We want any future vision to remain true to the founding principles of the Institute, while delivering real cultural and social value for current and future generations.”

Practical work has already begun, with a series of essential surveys now underway. These will assess the condition of the building and help establish how ‘at risk’ the Institute currently is, providing vital evidence to inform future options and decision-making.

However, Mr Reynolds was clear that long-term success is not guaranteed.

“An enduring future for the Institute is by no means assured,” he said. “In the founding manifesto, Thomas MacNay wrote of the founders’ wish that the benefits of the Institute would be ‘perpetuated to generations yet unborn’. That principle continues to guide us today — but in the months and years ahead, it will be crucial to demonstrate that this is a vision the whole community believes in and supports.”

As we support the client team and the project enters this decisive phase, the message is clear from all involved: Shildon has inherited a unique and pioneering legacy — one that was worth creating, worth saving, and now worth shaping together. We look forward to updating you on progress.