At first glance, the Cleveland Bay looks like any other no-frills English pub. It serves a solid range of beers, wines and spirits, alongside crisps and nuts – but no hot food. Visitors expecting a gastropub menu are politely told to look elsewhere.
Yet inside, the walls tell a different story. Railway prints, old maps and a mural of the Locomotion No 1 engine hint at the pub’s unique heritage. The Cleveland Bay, in Eaglescliffe near Stockton-on-Tees, has now been officially recognised as the world’s first purpose-built railway pub.
Historic England celebrates a milestone
The listing comes as part of seven new Grade II designations announced by Historic England to mark 200 years since the Stockton and Darlington Railway opened in September 1825 – the world’s first public railway. The Cleveland Bay was built shortly after, at the end of the Yarm branch line, under the instruction of railway company chairman Thomas Meynell.
Landlord Peter Rafferty, who has run the pub for 32 years, admitted he only discovered its remarkable status about a decade ago. “There was another pub in the north-west claiming to be first,” he recalled. “But their line opened in 1827, so the Friends of Stockton and Darlington Railway started digging into our history – and proved we were older.”
A traditional boozer, not a gastropub
Despite its new fame, Rafferty says little has changed inside. “The pub hasn’t changed much in 200 years – you’ve still got the snug, bar and lounge in their original layout,” he explained. “Lots of places have been knocked through, but not us. Hopefully this means it has a long future without being changed.”
The pub now attracts occasional visitors from overseas, mostly railway enthusiasts eager to see the site for themselves. “We get the anoraks and nerds who come to take photos,” Rafferty laughed. “As long as they don’t ask for a sandwich, they’re welcome.”
Rail heritage celebrated nationwide
The Cleveland Bay’s recognition is part of a wider effort to highlight Britain’s railway legacy during the bicentenary of the Stockton and Darlington line. This weekend, a newly restored replica of the Locomotion No 1 is set to recreate its original journey.
Other newly listed sites include:
- Havenstreet station (Isle of Wight): Built in 1926, a rare example of a one-person-operated station.
- Woody Bay station (Devon): A chalet-style station from 1898, reflecting the area’s nickname, “Little Switzerland”.
- Weybourne and Sheringham stations (Norfolk): Village stops that connected rural communities with the industrial Midlands.
- Swanage line (Dorset): Northbrook Road overbridge and the Swanage engine shed with its working turntable.
Heritage minister hails the listings
Baroness Twycross, the heritage minister, described the sites as “stunning examples of our railway heritage”. She added: “Listing these sites is the perfect way to celebrate Railway 200 and shine a light on the role of railways in shaping our national story over the last two centuries.”
For Rafferty and his loyal regulars, the Cleveland Bay’s new status is less about grandeur and more about quiet pride. “We’re still just a traditional boozer,” he said, “but it’s nice to know we’re part of history too.”
