39547
A statue of George Stephenson stands outside Chesterfield Railway Station, in Chesterfield, Derbyshire.
It is located not far from Tapton House where he lived in the latter part of his life. It is one of many depictions of the man often referred to as 'father' of the railways. The sculpture’s unveiling marked the completion of refurbishment work at the Station.
George Stephenson completed his first locomotive in 1814 and went on to demonstrate the viability of steam powered rail transport. Railways, locomotives, and their construction occupied the greater part of his working life and he may also be credited with establishing the railway standard gauge.
During his last decade, he was involved in the construction of the North Midland Railway between Derby and Leeds and lived at Tapton House. The Grade II* listed Georgian building (constructed 1782-94) is now part of Chesterfield College and lies about 1km to the north east of the station. Stephenson himself is not far away — his tomb is inside Holy Trinity Church.
In 2004, the bronze of Stephenson was commissioned from leading Suffolk portrait sculptor Stephen Hicklin, as part of Chesterfield’s Percent for Art initiative. The funding for the sculpture came from a partnership of Chesterfield Borough Council, Chesterfield Civic Society, Derbyshire County Council, Midland Mainline, Taylor Woodrow and Network Rail.
The monument depicts a tail-coated Stephenson balancing on one side of a tilted wheel, steadied by a large divider calliper in his right hand. The wheel includes two inscriptions — on the central boss is "VISION & INVENTION & DISCOVERY" and on the outer rim, "GEORGE STEPHENSON 1781-1848. LOCOMOTION, THE CONQUEST OVER SPACE AND TIME". In Stephenson's upraised left hand is a model of the locomotive Locomotion No.1, constructed for the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1824-5.
Information Source:
www.engineering-timelines.com/scripts/engineeringItem.asp...
39547
A statue of George Stephenson stands outside Chesterfield Railway Station, in Chesterfield, Derbyshire.
It is located not far from Tapton House where he lived in the latter part of his life. It is one of many depictions of the man often referred to as 'father' of the railways. The sculpture’s unveiling marked the completion of refurbishment work at the Station.
George Stephenson completed his first locomotive in 1814 and went on to demonstrate the viability of steam powered rail transport. Railways, locomotives, and their construction occupied the greater part of his working life and he may also be credited with establishing the railway standard gauge.
During his last decade, he was involved in the construction of the North Midland Railway between Derby and Leeds and lived at Tapton House. The Grade II* listed Georgian building (constructed 1782-94) is now part of Chesterfield College and lies about 1km to the north east of the station. Stephenson himself is not far away — his tomb is inside Holy Trinity Church.
In 2004, the bronze of Stephenson was commissioned from leading Suffolk portrait sculptor Stephen Hicklin, as part of Chesterfield’s Percent for Art initiative. The funding for the sculpture came from a partnership of Chesterfield Borough Council, Chesterfield Civic Society, Derbyshire County Council, Midland Mainline, Taylor Woodrow and Network Rail.
The monument depicts a tail-coated Stephenson balancing on one side of a tilted wheel, steadied by a large divider calliper in his right hand. The wheel includes two inscriptions — on the central boss is "VISION & INVENTION & DISCOVERY" and on the outer rim, "GEORGE STEPHENSON 1781-1848. LOCOMOTION, THE CONQUEST OVER SPACE AND TIME". In Stephenson's upraised left hand is a model of the locomotive Locomotion No.1, constructed for the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1824-5.
Information Source:
www.engineering-timelines.com/scripts/engineeringItem.asp...