TRANSPORT
Colourful – AV Dawson’ s mural of railway pioneer Timothy Hackworth.
Future- AV Dawson continues to invest in the site, which now includes a state-of-theart head office called The Staiths.
of the new industrial town and can therefore lay claim to being the birthplace of modern Middlesbrough.
“ We also wanted to celebrate a hidden hero of the story – Hackworth was a modest man and was often overshadowed by better-known characters in the region’ s industrial history.
“ We feel the mural absolutely depicts this and really showcases the history behind Middlesbrough and the extension of the Stockton & Darlington Railway line.”
More recently, the firm has refurbished an old locomotive, working with Northern School of Art students to create an eyecatching design for it to commemorate the bicentenary.
First-year pupils in the 3D Visualisation & Design class all submitted designs for the project and the locomotive design. Charlie said:“ We wanted to mark this significant milestone and thought,‘ why not combine education with the bicentenary?’ Many younger people were unaware of the 200th anniversary, which allowed students to learn about the historic railway while applying their design skills.
“ There were only 25 people living in Middlesbrough at the time before the extension of the railway, so if it wasn’ t for the railway extension, there would be no Middlesbrough.
“ We felt it was essential to mark this special occasion, being based on the former Port Darlington, which is now known in the modern day as Port of Middlesbrough.
“ As a business, we believe it’ s essential to honour and take pride in the past in order to inspire the next generation of innovators and leaders.”
The locomotive is due to be put on display on a roundabout on Riverside Park in the coming months to mark this milestone year, so be sure to check it out.
As the Stockton & Darlington Railway celebrates its bicentenary, the Port of Middlesbrough continues to stand as both a reminder of the town’ s industrial roots and a beacon for its future. What began with coal wagons on Hackworth’ s railway has grown into a thriving, forward-looking logistics hub, still driving progress and opportunity for the region.
By honouring its past while investing in innovation, AV Dawson ensures that the story of Middlesbrough’ s creation is not just remembered, but carried forward – fuelling pride, ambition and growth for generations to come.
The voice of business in the Tees region | 31