Robert Stephenson and Company was founded in 1823 and was the first company established to specifically build railway engines. The company was set up in Forth Street in Newcastle-upon-Tyne by George Stephenson, his son Robert with Edward Pease and Michael Longridge. It was founded as part of the construction of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.
The first engine the company produced was Locomotion No 1 which opened the Stockton and Darlington Railway. Later it produced Rocket which won the Rainhill Trials and Invicta for the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway..
The company prospered to the extent that by 1899 around 3,000 locomotives had been built by the organisation which at that time became Robert Stephenson and Company Limited.
At the same time the works moved to Darlington where the first locomotive was completed in 1902.
Most railways in Britain were building their own rolling stock, so most of the output was for export.
During the First World War the company built some of the Robinson ROD locomotives which became the LNER O4 class.
In 1937 Robert Stephenson and Hawthorn was formed when Robert Stephenson and Company, which was based in Darlington, took over the locomotive building department of Hawthorn Leslie and Company, based in Newcastle upon Tyne. At the time Robert Stephenson and Company had built 4,155 engines and Hawthorn Leslie and Company a further 2,783 making a total of 6,938. Robert Stephenson and Company (RSH) thus began with number 6938 for the locomotives produced by the combined organisation.
In 1938 the goodwill of the Kitson and Co and Manning, Wardle and Co companies was bought.
During the Second World War the plant was fully occupied building 0-4-0 and 0-6-0 saddle tanks for industrial use.
In 1943 RSH built 90 Austerity 0-6-0ST for the War Department. Eight of these have been preserved and are listed below.
In 1949-1950 RSH built 35 class L1 2-6-4T locomotives (67766-67800) for the Eastern Region. No members of the class have been preserved.
In 1950-53 RSH built 80 class 9400 0-6-0PT locomotives (9410-9489) for the Western Region and acted as sub contracted to the Yorkshire Engine Company for the building of a further 10 locomotives (9490-9499). 9466 has been preserved.
In 1955.RSH became part of English Electric
The last steam locomotives were built in 1958 (a conventional 0-6-0T) and 1959 (a fireless locomotive). 1960 The Forth Banks Works were closed in 1960 and the Darlington Works, continuing with diesel and electric locos, became English Electric Co Darlington Works.
Locomotive building at the Newcastle upon Tyne works ended in 1961 and at Darlington in 1964.
Preserved Locomotives
I have only included standard gauge locomotives which are preserved in Britain.
For details of preserved fireless locomotives built by Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn go to Fireless Locomotives.
Preserved Austerity Locomotives built to the Hunslet Design
In addition to building locomotives to designs produced by Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn the company also built ninety Austerity 0-6-0ST engines for the War Department during 1944-1946 as a sub contractor to the Hunslet Engine Company. Seven (68021-24, 68031-32 & 68070 ) of these were bought by the LNER in 1945-46. None of these have been preserved although 68077 and 68078 built by Andrew Barclay & Sons have..
Eight example of the ninety built by Andrew Barclay to the Hunslet Engine Company survived.
| Works No | Built | Name | Location |
| 7086 | 1943 | WD 76050 No 27 | Embsay & Bolton Steam Railway |
| 7097 | 1943 | WD 75061 No 9 | Strathspey Railway |
| 7098 | 1943 | WD 75062 | Tanfield Railway |
| 7136 | 1944 | WD150 WD 75186 Royal Pioneer | Peak Rail |
| 7139 | 1944 | WD 152 WD 75189 Rennes NCB No 8 | Dean Forest Railway |
| 7169 | 1944 | WD 71515 68005 Mechanical Navvy | Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway |
| 7170 | 1944 | WD 71516 Welsh Guardsman | Severn Valley Railway |
| 7289 | 1945 | WD 71480 Fred | Tyseley |
Other Preserved Robert Stephenson & Hawthornl Locomotives
| 6947 | 1938 | No 39 | 0-6-0T | Darlington Railway Preservation Society |
| 7006 | 1940 | 15 Roker | 0-4-0CT | Beamish Museum |
| 7007 | 1940 | Hendon | 0-4-0CT | Tanfield Railway |
| 7031 | 1941 | 54 Pen Green | 0-6-0ST | East Anglia Railway Museum |
| 7035 | 1940 | Lysaghts Donna | 0-6-0ST | Tanfield Railway |
| 7042 | 1941 | Yard No 361 Ajax | 0-4-0ST | Chatham Historic Dockyard |
| 7058 | 1942 | Olwen | 0-4-0ST | Gwili Railway |
| 7063 | 1942 | Eustace Forth | 0-4-0ST | Peak Rail |
| 7069 | 1942 | Southwick | 0-4-0CT | Keighley Worth Valley Railway |
| 7070 | 1942 | Millfield | 0-4-0CT | Bressingham Steam Museum |
| 7151 | 1944 | No 9 | 0-6-0T | Avon Valley Railway |
| 7214 | 1945 | George | 0-4-0ST | Midland Railway Centre |
| 7298 | 1946 | Christopher Progress | 0-6-0ST | National Coal Mining Museum, Wakefield |
| 7386 | 1948 | Birkenhead | 0-4-0ST | Southall |
| 7409 | 1948 | Sir Cecil A Cochrane | 0-4-0ST | Tanfield Railway |
| 7412 | 1948 | No 77 Norwood | 0-6-0ST | Locomotion, Shildon |
| 7416 | 1948 | No3 Agecroft No 1 | 0-4-0ST | National Railway Museum – York |
| 7485 | 1948 | Agecroft No 2 | 0-4-0ST | Ribble Steam Railway |
| 7493 | 1948 | Mars No 2 | 0-4-0ST | Snibston Discovery Park |
| 7537 | 1949 | Nechell No 3 Richard III | 0-6-0T | Battlefield Line |
| 7544 | 1949 | No 1 Bonnie Prince Charlie | 0-4-0ST | Didcot Railway Centre |
| 7597 | 1949 | Zebedee | 0-6-0T | Peak Rail |
| 7609 | 1950 | NCB No 31 Meteor | 0-6-0T | East Somerset Railway |
| 7661 | 1950 | BEA No 2 | 0-4-0ST | Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway |
| 7667 | 1950 | S&L No 56 | 0-6-0ST | Great Central Railway – Nottingham |
| 7668 | 1950 | S&L No 57 Samson | 0-6-0ST | Spa Valley Railway |
| 7671 | 1950 | S&L No 60 Jupiter | 0-6-0ST | Colne Valley Railway |
| 7673 | 1950 | S&L No 62 Ugly | 0-6-0ST | Spa Valley Railway |
| 7680 | 1950 | No 1 Fulstow | 0-4-0ST | Fulstow Steam Centre |
| 7681 | 1951 | Agecroft No 3 | 0-4-0ST | Whitwell & Reepham Railway |
| 7683 | 1951 | Meaford No 1 | 0-6-0T | Stephenson Railway Museum |
| 7684 | 1951 | Meaford No.2 Nechells No 4 | 0-6-0T | Great Central Railway |
| 7705 | 1952 | 0-4-0ST | Garw Valley Railway | |
| 7760 | 1953 | No 44 9103/44 | 0-6-0ST | Tanfield Railway |
| 7761 | 1954 | S&L No 63 Corby | 0-6-0ST | Great Central Railway – Nottingham |
| 7763 | 1954 | NCB No 38 | 0-6-0ST | Tanfield Railway |
| 7765 | 1954 | No 40 | 0-6-0T | Wearside Railway |
| 7796 | 1954 | No 21 | 0-4-0ST | Tanfield Railway |
| 7800 | 1954 | No 47 | 0-6-0ST | Tanfield Railway |
| 7817 | 1954 | Castle Donington Power Station No1 | 0-4-0ST | Midland Railway Centre |
| 7818 | 1954 | Castle Donnington Power Station No 2 | 0-4-0ST | Yaxham Station |
| 7845 | 1955 | 67345 | 0-6-0T | Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes |
| 7846 | 1955 | North Downs No 3 | 0-6-0T | Ferryhill Railway Heritage Trust |
| 7849 | 1955 | No 47 Moorbarrow | 0-6-0ST | Gwili Railway |
| 7944 | 1957 | No 16 | 0-6-0ST | Tanfield Railway |
