Stockton Flyer, Kinetic sculpture in High Street, Stockton-on-Tees, England.
The Stockton Flyer is a mechanical art installation that rises daily from a stone base, reaching seven meters in height while producing steam and mechanical movements. The complete performance lasts roughly fifteen minutes and includes movement sequences, steam effects, and whistle sounds.
Commissioned in 2013 and unveiled in 2016, it honours the Stockton and Darlington Railway, which ran the first passenger line in 1825. This pioneering railway transformed transport and shaped the town's identity.
The stone base carries lines from Mark Robinson's poem 'The Infinite Town', linking the mechanical work to local literary expression and reflecting on the town's past.
The daily performance takes place at 1:06 PM and can be observed from High Street, where the work stands. The best viewing spot is directly in front of the installation, where the steam effects and movements are clearly visible.
The arrival time of 1:06 PM matches the historical delay of Locomotion No. 1, which first reached Stockton in 1825. This subtle temporal link connects the modern artwork directly to the town's railway heritage.
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