Seeing the Bolt’s Law standing engine, near Rookhope, in Weardale

Written By Chris Shirley MA FRGS

Image credit: Haus of Hiatus

Wanting to get some good hiking in, I decided to visit Bolt's Law standing engine near Rookhope in Weardale - a significant historical structure built in County Durham.

 

The information plaque mounted nearby highlights that it was made in 1846 by the Weardale Iron Company and was part of the Bolt's Law Railway Incline, the highest standard-gauge railway in the UK at the time, designed to transport iron ore and limestone from Rookhope to Tow Law Ironworks.

 

The engine house played a crucial role in powering the incline, facilitating the movement of railway trucks laden with minerals and coal​ and stands as an interesting sight in the Durham countryside!

 

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Field notes
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Chris Shirley MA FRGS

About the Author: A former Royal Marines officer and advisor to the BBC, Chris has travelled in over 60 countries, is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, a Guinness World Record holder for rowing over 3500 miles across the Atlantic Ocean, a Marathon des Sables finisher, and is the founder of ‘Haus of Hiatus’, a website design and branding studio that designs and amplifies start-ups, scale-ups and special projects around the world.

He has worked with Hollywood actors, world–renowned musical artists and TV personalities, and is delighted to have had his work featured by the United Nations, Red Bull, BBC, and even seen at the South Pole!

https://www.hausofhiatus.com/team
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