No. 1 - Limited Edition

Set in Regency England 1810-1825, 'No. 1' draws on the real and the imagined from the North East of England present at the birth of the railways, starting on 18th September 1810 and finishing there on 28th September 1825, the day after the first ever railway trip between two towns, a first that changed history. History didn't record it inadvertently carrying a boy fleeing from a miscarriage of justice and an ex-Waterloo veteran intent on silencing him, but history can now be straightened out. In this ambitious recreation by Darlington-born writer Antony J (Tony) Stowers, fact and fiction are blended through real-life personalities, known historical events and ordinary people whose lives were impacted by this revolutionary technology. It also features a re-imagined but detailed account of the opening itself on 27th September 1825. Cover by permission Terence Cuneo MBE. 'The finest piece of historical fiction I have ever read' - Tony Fox, Historical Association Durham. 'Number One' by Tony Stowers' novel, based on actual events, brings working-class history to life - the birth of the railways - in a way which engages the reader even if you aren’t interested in trains! It is set in the north-east between the years 1810-1825 and culminates in a wonderful re-enactment of the first ever rail journey between Stockton and Darlington in September 1825 by the eponymous locomotive of the title. Written from the best possible perspective - the bottom up - the main characters are beautifully portrayed and include a radical miner and his young, resourceful son, the determined leader of a gang of Irish navvies and a Waterloo veteran soldier with an eye for the main chance. Incredibly well researched, it describes the everyday living conditions and experiences of ordinary people of the time so well that it deserves a much wider audience.' - John Baine, Morning Star.