THE world's first trainspotter has been identified by the National Railway Museum and many of his family lived in York.

As long as the passenger train has existed, there has been a devoted body of men and women that have passionately followed its path across the British countryside. But long before the days of anoraks, flasks of tea, tuna sandwiches and binoculars, 14-year-old John Backhouse was writing to his sisters in London about seeing the world's first steam-hauled passenger train on the Stockton to Darlington Railway on September 27 1825.

In his letter he includes a drawing of the train the first by a child in the world - with annotations pointing out where the engine is, the coach for passengers and the freight wagons.

In his letter he said: "It was a very grand sight to see such a mass of people moving on the road from Stockton to Darlington, 600 people were said to be in, on and about the wagons and coaches! And the engine drew not less than 90 tons!!!!!

"There was an excellent dinner prepared at Stockton for the railway gentry. I could tell you a great many more particulars but suppose that you are tired of it by this time."

* For more details see The Press today.