and owls, as well as a host of invertebrates. Previous Attractions The world's first passenger railway ran through the grounds beside the main road from the early 19th century until 1852. There was no station. In the 1970s and 80s there was a small zoo within the park, partly covering the area now used by the playground and stretching down to the hall. It famously had a penguin enclosure. There were also llamas and chipmunks, among others. Previously in front of the café was a simple crazy golf course. However it was removed in 2014 to make way for the skatepark. Relocation of Egglescliffe School In 2009 it was proposed by Ingleby Barwick Councillors that Egglescliffe School be relocated to the park with a footbridge over the river linking the school to the town. The proposal was backed by the then MP for Stockton South, Dari Taylor, but was strongly opposed by many residents because it would have meant the loss of valuable public parkland. The Conservative candidate for the Stockton-South seat, James Wharton, also opposed the proposal before narrowly winning the seat in the 2010 election. Leaflets from Dari Taylor's party have since expressed regret for not opposing the development of Preston Park. The proposal for the development (coded option D2) has now been removed as a viable option. The reasons given are that funding for the new footbridge would not have come from central government, and that "During the feasibility work undertaken, the location of the proposed bridge also raised significant engineering issues. In addition to this, any additional traffic from a community school facility could not be accommodated without significant upgrading of the road network.", and that the Preston Park allotments would have had to be moved. From this issue was also born 'Friends of Preston Park', a group consisting of members of the public that raises any issues that become apparent to visitors and presents them to the management of Preston Park during meetings. References External links Preston Hall Museum and Park Butterfly World Borough of Stockton-on-Tees Parks and open spaces in County Durham