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152 crossing the Sunderland Road three miles north of Stockton; thence, by the village of Carlton, and across the Little River Skern, to Sim Pasture, where it was intended to join the Stockton and Darlington Railway, at the point between the 17½ mile post and the 17½ post from Stockton. A branch was intended from Sim Pasture to the Deanery Estate, near Bishop Auckland; but this was not to be made without the consent of the Earl of Eldon; another from How Hills, by Great Chilton, to Broom Hill; and one other branch from Harrowgate House to Brown's Bridge, near Stockton.

The line was laid out by Mr. Edward Steel; and he estimated the cost (including an inclined plane upon the Deanery Branch, and a steam engine for the Broom Hill Branch) at £98,113. The data for the estimate was a single railway, with one-sixth for passing places.

To carry these railways into execution, a company, consisting of fifty-eight persons, amongst whom was Sir William Foulis, Bart applied to parliament, and obtained an act, in 1828, entitled,  'An Act for making and maintaining a Railway from the River Tees, near Haverton Hill, in the parish of Billingham, to a place called Sim Pasture Farm, in the parish of Heighington, all in time county of Durham, with certain Branches therefrom,'  by which they were incorporated as "The Company of Proprietors of the Clarence Railway." They were empowered to raise among themselves the sum of £100,000, (of which £80,000 was raised before the act was obtained) in one thousand shares of £100 each; the whole of which was to be subscribed before the work was commenced. An additional sum of £60,000 may be raised, on mortgage of the rates, if necessary.