Today, we're taking a trip back in time to explore the fascinating history of a little hamlet with a big story: Phoenix Row.

This small settlement grew alongside one of the most transformative inventions of the Industrial Revolution – the steam engine.

Steam engines didn't just revolutionise factories; they also changed how we powered and moved everything.

Before steam engines, horses were the main source of transportation. Imagine them hauling heavy waggons of coal, called chaldrons, up steep hills. It was slow, backbreaking work for the horses and for the people managing them.

But then came the steam engine, a game-changer that replaced muscle power with innovation.

Here's how it worked at the Etherley Incline, a critical part of the Stockton & Darlington Railway.

Horses still played a role, pulling coal across flat terrain. But when it was time to climb the incline, the steam engine took over. Coal-filled chaldrons were attached to ropes wound around massive drums.

Picture a giant sewing bobbin or a spool of thread. These drums, powered by an engine at the top of the incline, wound the ropes up on one side and down on the other, pulling the chaldrons to the summit.

This ingenious system wasn't just efficient – it was a money maker. In the first three months of operation, the incline generated an impressive £2,000 – that's the equivalent of about £145,000 today.

During that time, it hauled an astonishing 10,000 tonnes of coal, cementing its place as a vital link in the railway network.

So where does Phoenix Row fit into this story?

Interestingly, this hamlet didn't begin to form until about 15 years after the Stockton & Darlington Railway's grand opening in 1825.

By then, the nearby Phoenix Pit had already closed as a mining venture. But the incline's importance didn't end there.

Phoenix Row became a hub for coal marshalling. Chaldrons arriving from the Witton Park Colliery to the north were brought here to be weighed and valued before being hauled up the incline. In the southern gable wall you can see the scar line of the roof of the former weigh house. This activity turned Phoenix Row into more than just a waypoint – it became a bustling community.

The story of Phoenix Row is a testament to how innovation, industry, and transportation can shape a place.

From its beginnings as a small coal hub to its growth as a hamlet, it's a reminder of the steam engine's profound impact – not just on industry, but on the lives of people who lived and worked alongside its roaring power.