Great, great grandson of famous railway engineers visits Doncaster sheltered housing scheme to mark housing association's centenary

Anne Rowlands and Patrick Stirling at the entrance to Patrick Stirling Court and the plaque he initially unveiled in 1992.

Patrick Stirling recently visited Patrick Stirling Court in Barnstone Street, Hexthorpe - a scheme run by Railway Housing Association.

The sheltered housing scheme is named after Patrick Stirling, a railway engineer who became Locomotive Superintendent of the Great Northern Railway and whose Stirling steam locomotive set speed records in the Race to the North, an event involving different passenger train companies which saw engines travelling from London to Scotland.

Railway Association Housing is celebrating its centenary in 2019 and has been holding a number of events to mark the anniversary.

Patrick Stirling next to one of his grandfather's enginges at the National Railway Museum in York Photograph: Stuart Boulton

At Patrick Stirling Court, residents were joined by members of the community, the Mayor of Doncaster, local councillors and local MP Rosie Winterton to celebrate the Association’s centenary.

The guest of honour was Patrick Stirling, who first opened the sheltered housing scheme named after his great, great-grandfather in 1992. Railway Housing Association Chief Executive Anne Rowlands said: “When we were organising this event, we were very keen to involve Patrick Stirling in our celebrations.

“It was fantastic to see him return to the scheme he first opened in 1992 and which was named in honour of his great, great-grandfather, who is inextricably linked with Doncaster’s railway heritage.

“It was a fitting way to mark our centenary in Doncaster, where we have many homes.”

Patrick said: “It’s lovely to know my great-grandfather’s name lives on through this scheme.”