ABSTRACT
The only purpose originally intended to be served by the Stockton and Darlington Railway was the finding of a better outlet for coal from the South Durham coalfield. A company, with Edward Pease as the moving spirit, was formed in 1816, but two years later the projectors were still undecided whether to make a canal or “a rail or tramway.” George Overton, who preceded George Stephenson as a distinguished railway engineer, wrote to them, however, advising the latter course. “ Railways,” he said, “are now generally adopted, and the cutting of canals nearly discontinued ” ; and he told them, further, that within the last fifteen years the great improvements made in the construction of tram-roads had led to the application of the principle to a number of new roads. The company made provision for the anticipated goods traffic by having 150 waggons built; but they started with no idea of themselves undertaking passenger traffic.
