The Sun.
London, England, 1852-08-30 00:00:00

EXTENSION OF THE LEEDS NORTHERN TO

SUNDERLAND.
We rejoice to find that the subject of increased rail-
way facilities for this town has began to attract atten-
tion, for we cannot conceive any measure more likely to
promote the prosperity of Sunderland than a direct
communication with Leeds, Manchester, and the manu-
facturing districts. Such a line as that now proposed
has been long wanted; for the inattention of the York,
Newcastle, and Berwick Company to the interests of our
town is notorious; and the only matter now to be consi-
dered is, how can the object which we have in view be
best attained? With reference to this point, our opinion
certainly is that the shortest and most direct line is the
one which will be found to be most advantageous to
Sunderland, and which, therefore, ought to be adopted;
because we must not forget that we have many rival
ports to contend with, and every additional mile that we
place ourselves from the market in which our goods are
manufactured and sold will operate against us, and in
favour of our opponents.
We have been favoured with the sight of a line which
has been laid down by a gentleman very conversant
with the country, and which appears to us to possess
all the advantages that can be desired. We hope very
shortly to be permitted to give our readers a
plan of it; and while we promise to do so as
early as possible, suffice it for the present to say
that it is proposed to have the Sunderland station
in the rector's park, close to the most advantageous
position for crossing the river by a high level bridge,
which we foresee will very soon be required, for it is
clear our friends on the Tyne will speedily seek for a
share of the benefits this railway must produce. The
proposed line then passes up the Hetton Railway as far
as to the new water-works, where it branches off, leav-
ing Tunstall to the east and Silksworth to the west,
crosses the west end of Burdon Dene, and so on in a
straight lino to Murton Colliery, Easington, Shotton
Colliery, Wingate, Elwick, and Wolviston to Billing-
ham, where it joins the railway leading to Stockton,
and there effects a junction with the Leeds Northern
Railway. The entire distance of this line would be
about 21 miles, but it is proposed, in addition, to make
a short branch down to the docks, and one up the
Rough Dene, on the south side of Warden Law, to
Rainton and Houghton, by which all the coal of Lord
Londonderry, of Lord Durham, and of the Hetton Coal
Company, might be brought on to the main line; so that
with another branch to Seaham harbour, which would
pass close by the new winnings in that neighbourhood,
nearly the whole of the private railways of those large
coal-owners would be rendered unnecessary.
We cannot help approving of a line which would em-
brace SO many lucal advantages, but we must say our
object is a lit le more extended. We want to see Sun-
derland obtain its fair share of the through traffic. We
want to see long trains of waggons laden with the bales
of Manchester, Dewsbury, Huddersfield, Leeds, and all
that district, bringing their valuable burdens for ship-
ment in our docks. Why should not this take place?
We can offer advantages as great as any other port on
The east coast; and when the great sea outlet is com-
pleted, as it will soon be, no other place will be able to
compare with us. The important point is to insist ou
having the shortest line made, and then we shall be al-
most as near Manchester as Grimsby is, the distance
from Leeds, and all places beyond, will be reduced 20
miles at the least, and we shall be as near Leeds as we
now are to York. How truly shall we congratulato our
fellow townsmen when they can en ter a carriage at
their own doors, and be carried all the way
to Liverpool
without a cluDgo—n° 1341.9 stopping and changing at