Skinny Silk Scarf inspired by Hackworth’s Plug Wheel

£60.00

Luxurious designer English silk skinny scarf celebrating the engineering genius of the Stockton & Darlington’s first Railway Superintendent and Engineer, Timothy Hackworth. The design is inspired by Hackworth’s plugwheel from 1827 which went on to revolutionise rail travel. A very special gift for a very special person. Or you!

 

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Description

This exquisite UK designed and handmade 100% silk skinny scarf has been designed just for us and represents all that is best from our Great British heritage. The design of this scarf is inspired by Timothy Hackworth’s plug wheel which revolutionised train travel from 1827. His wheel design was not only innovative, but it was beautiful and so it is no surprise that it has made a beautiful silk scarf too.

We worked with designer Cinda Clark to develop this design. We chose the colour blue because on the opening day of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, all the key players, including George Stephenson and Timothy Hackworth, wore blue ribbons and sashes.

The scarf is entirely made and designed in the UK in small quantities. It is handmade by a small family run printer’s in Macclesfield which is the historic home of silk in the U.K. The touch and feel of this scarf exudes luxury.

The scarf is 180cm long and 20cm wide.

Each product designed and inspired by the works of Timothy Hackworth is packaged with a little card of authenticity confirming that the product has been approved by the Great Great Grandaughter of Timothy Hackworth – Jane Hackworth-Young. The scarf comes in a beautiful black box lovingly wrapped in gold tissue paper so makes a perfect present for someone special.

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On the opening day of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, the railway that triggered the start of the railway revolution across the world, the railway men all wore blue ribbons in their button hole and those in control of the train wore a blue sash over the right shoulder fastened in a knot under the left arm. That is why we have chosen blues for this stunning scarf. Timothy Hackworth was the engineer and locomotive supervisor for the Stockton & Darlington Railway from 1825. He designed this type of wheel which went on to be used on the Royal George (1827) and on nearly every other engine on the Stockton & Darlington Railway and other railways for many years. It was cast iron with wrought iron tyres shrunk on. Hackworth was the first to apply the wrought iron tyre to a wheel. The wheels were made up in parts as there were no lathes in the Shildon workshops where Hackworth worked, large enough to turn up the rims when fixed upon the axle. The centre part or ‘boss’ was machined true, and the outer rim trued by the centre and made tight by wooden plugs and iron wedges. They were dotted with curious plug holes (hence the name plug wheel) to ensure sound castings and reduce unnecessary weight, and in practice were found extremely efficient. (Source Timothy Hackworth and the Locomotive by Robert Young 1923).

The silk scarf is printed and hand stitched in Macclesfield. Did you know that Macclesfield is the historic home of the silk trade in the UK? We all know that the silk road started in China but who knew it finished in Macclesfield? In fact, Macclesfield became the biggest producer of finished silk goods in the world in the 18th century. We are happy to help sustain a little part of that tradition! If you are visiting Macclesfield be sure to go to the Silk  Museum and wear your Hackworth Plug Wheel silk scarf and celebrate two different aspects of the British industrial heritage.

Additional information

Dimensions90 × 90 cm
Size

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