Clarence Railway
Introduction
Most of this line is open. This was the first railway in Britain opened to compete with another railway (the Stockton and Darlington Railway).
Dates
| / /1828 | Clarence Railway Company incorporated. |
| / /1833 | Clarence Railway Line opened. |
| /08/1833 | Clarence Railway Coal first carried from Simpasture Junction to Stockton [Clarence]. |
| / /1834 | Clarence Railway Port Clarence opened. |
| 16/01/1834 | Clarence Railway Line reaches Ferryhill [Durham]. |
| 30/01/1834 | Clarence Railway Coal first carried from Haverton Hill. |
| / /1835 | Clarence Railway Sherburn branch extended to Croxhoe |
| / /1835 | Clarence Railway Chilton branch partly opened |
| / /1836 | Clarence Railway Chilton branch completely opened |
| /01/1836 | Clarence Railway Opened to passengers from Stockton to Croxhoe with a omnibus to Durham |
| 31/03/1837 | Clarence Railway Byers Green [1st] branch opened. |
| /05/1839 | Stockton and Hartlepool Railway Construction begins without Act. Line built to extend Clarence Railway to the better Victoria Dock [Hartlepool] of the Hartlepool Dock and Railway. Port Clarence was tidal. |
| 18/09/1840 | Clarence Railway Norton East to South curve proposed for West Hartlepool to Stockton trains. |
| / /1841 | Clarence Railway Stockton and Hartlepool Railway given permission to build platform at Billingham. |
| 26/03/1841 | Clarence Railway Norton East to South curve Act passed. Line to be built at the expense of the Stockton and Hartlepool Railway. Speed restriction imposed on tight curve. |
| 30/11/1841 | Stockton and Darlington Railway Runs service from Darlington (North Road) to the Clarence Railway's terminus at Coxhoe. (This was in anticipation of the Newcastle and Darlington Junction Railway's opening.) |
| 16/07/1846 | Leeds and Thirsk Railway Second Leeds and Thirsk Act gives powers to open a line from Northallerton to Billingham on the Stockton and Hartlepool Railway, Eaglescliffe on the Stockton and Darlington Railway and Stockton on the Clarence Railway. |
| 01/06/1847 | Hartlepool West Harbour and Railway Opens new dock. Traffic to Port Clarence was to reduce causing friction between the Clarence Railway and the Stockton and Hartlepool Railway. |
| 01/01/1851 | Clarence Railway Perpetual lease of line taken by Ralph Ward Jackson of the Stockton and Hartlepool Railway. |
| 30/06/1852 | Stockton and Hartlepool Railway
Hartlepool West Harbour and Railway Merger authorised by Parliament along with lease or purchase of the Clarence Railway. |
| / /1853 | West Hartlepool Harbour and Railway Diverts trains from Stockton station on the North Shore Branch (North Eastern Railway) to Stockton North station on the Leeds and Thirsk Railway. (The company controlled the former Clarence Railway and Stockton and Hartlepool Railway). |
| 17/05/1853 | Stockton and Hartlepool Railway
Hartlepool West Harbour and Railway
Clarence Railway Merge to become the West Hartlepool Harbour and Railway Company. |
| 18/05/1866 | Clarence Railway Act for replacement Norton East to South curve. |
| / /1870 | Clarence Railway New Norton East to South curve installed to replace tighter alignment. |
| 01/12/1904 | Clarence Railway Billingham to Port Clarence trains become petrol-electic railcars. |
| / /1905 | Clarence Railway Billingham to Port Clarence trains become steam autocars. |
| / /1920 | Clarence Railway Billingham to Port Clarence steam autocars withdrawn. |
| / /1923 | Clarence Railway Billingham to Port Clarence service operated with engine from Haverton Hill Shed. |
| 11/09/1939 | Clarence Railway Port Clarence closed to passengers. |
| 14/06/1954 | Clarence Railway Billingham to Haverton Hill public service withdrawn. |
| /11/1961 | Clarence Railway Billingham to Haverton Hill workmen trains withdrawn. |
Portions of line and locations
This line is divided into a number of portions.
Port Clarence to Newton Aycliffe
This was largely a minerals handling location. A series of sidings served five staithes and further east the Port Clarence Iron Works was served by the railway.
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David Pesterfield 15/10/2014
David Pesterfield 15/10/2014
2 of 2 images.
Coxhoe Branch
1 of 1 images.
Ewan Crawford 28/02/2004
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Chilton Branch
Byers Green Branch
Ewan Crawford 28/02/2004
1 of 1 images.
Network Rail /10/2020
1 of 1 images.
Stockton Branch
K A Gray 13/10/1962
1 of 1 images.
