A NORTH-EAST man's website tribute to a railway pioneer is causing a stir around the world.

And the guest book on the Age of Steam, John Metcalfe's site, has attracted comment from descendants of two of the region's historical figures.

Railway enthusiast Mr Metcalfe set up the site last September, because he noted a lack of information about pioneer Timothy Hackworth and the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

The site has quickly expanded from information on Hackworth and the Timothy Hackworth Victorian and Railway Museum and takes in a range of information about the region's railways.

It has received 12,000 hits and there are between 200 and 300 page views a day.

Two of the first guest book entries came from Charles Edward Gurney Pease, whose great great-grandfather Edward Pease was one of the most notable men in Darlington's history, and Wendy Jelbert, Hackworth's great-niece.

"That was purely by chance. They obviously did a search and they came up with the site," said Mr Metcalfe, of Farnham Close, South Church, Bishop Auckland. "It's listed on most of the search engines."

Because of the Age of Steam, Mr Metcalfe has received e-mails from across the world from people seeking information about the railways, and he is glad to help where possible.

To reach the Age of Steam home page, go to www.railcentre.co.uk