The Committee of the Stockton & Darlington
Railway never considered in their early deliberations the
concept of earnings from the carrying of passengers. In those
days travelling was expensive and considered a luxury which
the majority of people could not afford. At that time, the
stagecoach which ran from Darlington to Stockton could hardly
sustain the three or four times a week journey. The advent
of the locomotive was not foreseen as to increase the traffic
by any degree.
The earliest record of any intention to
run passenger traffic was in the minutes of a meeting on 7th
October, 1825, proposing the application for a licence to
run a coach on the line. Therefore on the opening day, the
Company had no legal right to carry passengers.
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At the same time, one Thomas Close, applied
to the Company to run a coach between Darlington and Stockton
at two guineas per week, which was accepted.
In addition, the Company commenced to run
a coach of their own called the "Experiment", however
on 1st April, 1826, the Company gave Richard Pickersgill exclusive
rights for running the passenger traffic, leasing "Experiment"
to him for £200 per year.
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STOCKTON
& DARLINGTON RAILWAY
THE
COMPANY'S COACH
CALLED
THE
EXPERIMENT,
Which commenced Travelling
on MONDAY, the 10th of OCTOBER 1825,
will continue to run from Darlington
to Stockton, and from
Stockton to Darlington
every Day [Sundays excepted],
setting off from the DEPOT at each
place at the times specified as
under, (viz.):-
ON MONDAY
From Stockton at half-past
7 in the morning, and will reach
Darlington about half-past 9; the
Coach will set off from the latter
place on its return at 3 in the
Afternoon, and reach Stockton about
5.
TUESDAY
From Stockton at 3
in the Afternoon, and will reach
Darlington about 5.
On the following
Days, viz. :-
WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY,
& FRIDAY,
From Darlington at
half-past 7 in the Morning, and
will reach Stockton about halpast
9 ; the Coach will set off from
the latter place on its return at
3 in the Afternoon, and reach Darlington
about 5.
SATURDAY
From Darlington at
1 in the Afternoon, and will reach
Stockton about 3.
 Passengers
to pay 1s. each, and will be allowed
a Package of not exceeding 14 lb.,
all above that weight to pay the
rate of 2d. per Stone extra. Carriage
of small parcels 3d. each. The Company
will not be accountable for Parcels
of above £5 Value, unless
paid for as such.
MR.
RICHARD PICKERSGILL at his Office
in Commercial Street, Darlington
; and Mr. TULLY at Stockton, will
for the present receive any Parcels
and Book Passengers.
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With no stations on the line, stopping places
were utilised which were usually Inns:- Dan Adamson's, Shildon;
Aycliffe Lane(Heighington); Fighting Cocks; Goosepool; Early
Nook(Urlay Nook); "The Lord Nelson Inn", Potato
Hall; "The Railway Tavern", Stockton.
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