Darlington Brick Train to be cleaned up after vandalism
A train sculpture which has become the target of vandals is to be renovated.The Brick Train was unveiled in 1997 as a tribute to Darlington's proud railway heritage, but vandalism and fly-tipping has seen its condition deteriorate.The town's Labour MP Lola McEvoy is working with Darlington Borough Council to improve the site, near Morton Park, after recent public concerns."To see it in such poor condition was heartbreaking – but I'm thrilled to see great progress now being made to restore it in time for such a significant moment in our town's history," the MP said.
Renovation work to improve the Brick Train will take place over the summer in time for the 200th bicentenary celebrations of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in September. Improvements include replacing missing bricks, reinstating fencing and signage, landscaping the surrounding area, and creating a long-term maintenance plan.It is hoped the latest round of works will help deter people from using the site as a dumping ground in the future, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Stories of pride
Ms McEvoy said: "I was here at the opening when I was 10 years old, and it was a big deal then. "But if you're trying to find it as a tourist, you would struggle. We need to see more signage."It puts the area on the map and the town's railway heritage really matters. "This generation need stories of aspiration, hope, and pride of what we've done well in the past."Site managers Equation Properties and landowners BGO Logistics will also work with the council and MP to deliver the improvements.Councillor Libby McCollom, cabinet member for local services, said: "The Brick Train is a Darlington icon, and I'm proud of the collaborative effort that's gone into revitalising this site."With 2025 marking 200 years since the world's first passenger railway journey began here, it's only right that this sculpture stands proud once again – a testament to our past and a beacon for our future."
Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
30 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Dani Dyer shares a kiss with new husband Jarrod Bowen as she reveals glimpse into the lead up to the moment they said 'I do' in unseen snaps from their lavish wedding celebrations
Dani Dyer has treated fans to a glimpse into the lead-up to her lavish wedding day with Jarrod Bowen at the weekend. The former Love Island star, 28, and the West Ham captain, 28, tied the knot during an intimate ceremony surrounded by their closest friends and family on Saturday. And in the days since, the newlyweds have been sharing snippets from their nuptials on social media, with Dani taking to Instagram on Thursday with even more unseen snaps, with the caption: 'Moments before'. This time, she showed her followers a look inside the moments before she and Jarrod became husband and wife, with a sweet shot of the couple kissing in the car, after popping a celebratory bottle of champagne. The pair could be seen enjoying spending time with their families, with Dani posing for a beaming selfie with proud dad, Danny Dyer. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. She also shared a slew of sweet photos of her son Santiago, four, who she shares with ex Sammy Kimmence, tucking into several meals as he prepared to be a page boy, alongside Dani's brother Arty, 11. While her and Jarrod's twin daughters Summer and Star, two, served as flower girls for their parents big day, and could be seen looking adorable in their matching floral dresses. And though she kept her wedding gown secret until the big day, Dani still ensured she looked every inch the bride, wearing an elegant white minidress, with a low back and huge bow detail. While even when she was getting ready, she donned a white jumper with the words 'BRIDE' emblazoned on the back. For the actual ceremony, Dani dazzled in a £10,000 designer gown by Suzanne Neville, before changing into a stunning lace minidress for the raucous reception. Speaking on her joint podcast with Danny, Dani revealed she was keeping her first wedding dress a surprise from her dad until the big day to honour a special tradition. 'Have you not seen that first look when the dad sees their daughter in their dress and that? Oh, it's lovely,' she shared. 'Yeah, your dad's not meant to see it – it's a moment for the dad as well!' While her and Jarrod's twin daughters Summer and Star, two, served as flower girls for their parents big day, and could be seen looking adorable in their matching floral dresses And though she kept her wedding gown secret until the big day, Dani still ensured she looked every inch the bride, wearing an elegant white minidress, with a low back and huge bow detail The Bridgerton-themed wedding took place at the five star Langley Hotel, which sits on the estate of the third Duke of Marlborough, in former royal hunting grounds. White rose petals lined the aisle, with floral sculptures and candles creating a stunning backdrop which the bride and groom shared a kiss in front of. The fun was kicked off by father of the bride Danny, who led a wedding breakfast chant of the rude West Ham anthem, 'Bowen's on fire and he's sh***ing Dani Dyer,' to the 1997 hit Freed from Desire, changing the lyrics to say 'married'. While Dani's sister Sunnie was one of six bridesmaids, who all wowed in matching one shoulder pink dresses. The 18-year-old also had a role during the ceremony as she read a poem from Sex and The City's wedding scene, which went: 'His hello was the end of her endings. Her laugh was their first step down the aisle. His hand would be hers to hold forever. 'His forever was as simple as her smile. He said she was what was missing. She said instantly she knew. She was a question to be answered. And his answer was 'I do'.' After Dani and Jarrod exchanged their vows, the couple were quick to indulge in their huge wedding cake, with the happy couple seen lifting a huge slice in a fun video. The reception also boasted a live band who serenaded Dani as she shared a sweet father-daughter dance with Dani. White rose petals lined the aisle, with floral sculptures and candles creating a stunning backdrop which the bride and groom shared a kiss in front of Dani has had a whirlwind few months, filled with two lavish hen parties and all the excitement of getting ready for her big day. Speaking to Heat magazine earlier this week, Dani said: 'I have finally done my table plans now. Until you are in there writing names out, making sure you have tables of 10, it's the most stressful experience ever - that's the only thing I've not enjoyed.' Dani also revealed she will take on a double-barrel surname after the wedding, becoming Dyer-Bowen. She said: 'I am going to keep the Dyer - I am going to do Dani Dyer-Bowen just because of my work. I feel like if I am Dani Bowen, it takes that thing away from me. We are double-barrelling it.'
BBC News
30 minutes ago
- BBC News
XL bully owner admits offences after fatal attack near Banbury
A woman has admitted having two XL bullies which were dangerously out of control and killed another Roberts, 36, admitted two counts of possession of a fighting dog and two counts of allowing the dogs to be in a public place without a muzzle or lead at Oxford Magistrates' Court on of De La Warr Drive, Banbury, also admitted two counts of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control and one count of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected charges relate to an incident in which a schnoodle dog, Winnie, was killed by the two XL bullies, Kobi and Kardi, in Hanwell, near Banbury, on 26 March. Roberts' sentencing was adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared. She will be sentenced at the magistrates' court on 18 July. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
30 minutes ago
- BBC News
Lack of Devon and Cornwall transport funding criticised
The government has been accused of leaving Devon and Cornwall behind in terms of transport Rachel Reeves announced £15.6bn of funding for transport projects across parts of England including Greater Manchester, the Midlands, West England and Yorkshire on and business leaders based in Devon and Cornwall have criticised the government for overlooking the region after no money was earmarked for projects in either Department for Transport (DfT) said it was committed to delivering infrastructure that would boost the whole country. 'Underfunded services' Leigh Frost, leader of Cornwall Council, said the county's roadwork of more than 4,500 miles (7,242km) would have to be maintained with limited Liberal Democrat councillor said: "Our residents deserve a reliable, affordable, and integrated public transport system."Instead, we're left to struggle with making the Cornish pound stretch further to support our underfunded services, while other areas receive the lion's share of investment."Ben Maguire, Lib Dem MP for North Cornwall, said the county had "yet again been overlooked" by the government and the area deserved much better."We've had promises of 'levelling up', but this £15bn plan doesn't offer a single penny for our region," Mr Maguire added. Lib Dem MP for St Ives Andrew George accused the government of targeting "handpicked mayoral zones" with its £15.6bn of George added: "So we're expected to believe this is a politically neutral decision based on need?"Cornwall's Chamber of Commerce said transport consistently ranked as the top priority for businesses in the county, but said there was still not enough support from the Brown, the chamber's chief executive, said Cornwall was being left behind."Our businesses struggle daily with connectivity issues that limit growth potential," he said. "While metro mayors across England receive billions for trams and mass transit, Cornwall's economy continues to be hampered by inadequate bus services and rail connections that fail to meet business needs." 'Languishing behind' The funding announcement also received criticism in Smith, Conservative MP for South West Devon, said she was "deeply disappointed" that no money had been given to Devon or Cornwall."Anyone living in our corner of the UK will know that our transport infrastructure languishes behind the rest of the nation," Ms Smith said."I have warned before that the South West risks becoming Labour's forgotten region. It seems this remains true." 'Pushing our government' Jayne Kirkham, Labour MP for Truro and Falmouth, defended the government, saying the funding was focused on city said she and Perran Moon, Labour MP for Camborne and Redruth, had been told more help was expected in Spending Review due to be set out by the chancellor on 11 June."We will be pushing and pushing and pushing our government to make sure we get as much as we can for Cornwall, because we know how much we need it here," Ms Kirkham DfT said Wednesday's announcement would help more than a quarter of England's population get better transport infrastructure.A spokesperson added decisions on future transport spending would be announced as part of the Spending Review."We are committed to delivering transport infrastructure that will boost growth and opportunity across the whole country, as part of our 'Plan for Change'," the spokesperson said."This includes investing in Cornwall – where this year alone we are already providing £10m towards better bus services, up to £48m for highways and local transport maintenance and £1.1m to enable better walking, wheeling and cycling opportunities."
