RAILWAY – Whitby Redcar Middlesbrough Union Railway

Accreditation the Redcar and Saltburn-by-the-Sea Gazette 20/05/1871

WHITBY, REDCAR & MIDDLESBROUGH
UNION RAILWAY

At last we are enabled confidently to report that the break in the railway communication through the Cleveland Iron Field is about to be filled up by the construction of the above importantline. Recently, a company was incorporated according to Act of Parliament, with a capital of £250,000, in shares of £10 each, and a board of directors consisting of the Marquis of Normanby, Mulgrave Castle, Whitby, Lord William Montagu Hay, London, Sir Harcourt Johnstone, Bart., M.P. Scarborough, chairman of the North Eastern Co., Edward Corner, Whitby, W. L. Banks, London, and James Shaw, Ironmaster, Stockton, was formed. Each share, though nominally of the value of £10, was issued at a discount: £68.15s stop suffering to secure 10 shares, or £6.17s.6d. Per share; and the directors felt justified in pursuing this course on account of the valuable character of the district as regards minerals, &c., to be transversed by the proposed line. The undertaking seems to have been very favourably received by the public, for although the stock has been but a short time in the market the whole of the actual capital has been subscribed, and it is almost a certainty that after the line is in working order, the shares will be sold at a premium, for it must be considered that the line is not a branch one which would be carried on at a loss by the companies, but a main and highly productive one, and as such cannot fail to pay a handsome dividend to the shareholders. The Whitby, Redcar and Middlesbrough Union Railway, consists of a line of about 16 miles in length, commencing at Whitby by a junction. The North Eastern name system and terminating at Lofthouse by a junction with that part of the North Eastern known as North Cleveland, which is at present used only for conveying minerals stop the Company, it must be remembered, is distinctly separate from the North Eastern, but the latter company will furnish rolling stock at 50 per cent of the gross earnings. The line traverses the richest portion of the Cleveland ironstone beds, and completes a link of direct coast communication between Middlesbrough and Whitby; and if the projected railway between the latter town and Scarborough, of which a prospectus as already been issued, be proceeded with, Hull and Middlesbrough will be directly connected. The iron ores on the line of the proposed route have been partially worked, but the prosecution of the mining was abandoned on account of the difficulty and expense of transportation; but now we hear of actual steps being taken for the erection of blast furnaces by the railway to be completed by the time the line is in operation, and can convey the coal and iron from the works stop the district abounds in alum and petroleum shales as well as building and cement stone, and from the fact that numerous small watering places, hitherto almost unknown, exist on the coast, a large passenger traffic may be counted upon. The extensive fishing operations which have for years been carried on at Staithes, Port Mulgrave and Runswick will add considerably to the revenue of the company, and we may expect to see these villages (and inhabitants of which are of a primitive order of mankind, half a century behind their rivals nearer the manufacturing localities in ideas) transformed into modern well drained and well built towns. A large agricultural traffic may be looked for in addition to the above stop the railway pass all year:-Easington, Ugthorpe, Boulby, Staithes, Runswick, Lythe, Sandsend, Hinderwell, Ellerby, Mickleby, &c. Contracts have been entered into for the completion of the railway by 30th June, 1873, but a portion of the line from Whitby to the Alum Works and ironstone at Sandsend will probably be opened before the end of this year, and the whole is expected to be ready for conveying the minerals, &c,, by the end of next year. It is estimated that the cost will be about £20,000 per mile, which is cheaper than any other mineral line in England, except the Maryport and Carlisle, which only averaged £14,600. Though important engineering difficulties will be encountered as the greater portion have been met with by the North Eastern before Lofthouse is reached, two of which, the viaducts bridging the glens near the mills at Saltburn and Kilton, may be especially pointed out. Judging from the returns of other mineral lines the project cannot fail to pay well, for if only £40 per mile per week be earned a sum of £16,640 will be available for dividend after the 50% has been paid for working expenses to the North-Eastern, and this sum will be equal to 5 per cent, whilst the Whitehaven, Cleator, and Egremont (a similar one to the present project) pays 12 ½, and the shares are not to be bought under £230, or £130 premium, and the Maryport and Carlisle gives 11 per cent, which shares at £222 for each £100. An additional reason as to its success is that it will be largely patronised by visitors on account of the beautiful and varied scenery, which is as fine as any in the North. Yesterday (19/05), the first sod was turned at Sandsend by the Dowager Marchioness of Normanby, and High Holiday was kept in Whitby in honour of the occasion. We may now look forward to having only to travel 25 miles from Redcar to Whitby, instead of over 50 as at present.