Platelayers Of Middlesbrough & Redcar Railway

The Middlesbrough & Redcar Railway (M & R) was built in 1847 to open up the prospect of recreational travel along the north-east coast of Yorkshire.

Although it was nominally an independent company it could be regarded as a subsidiary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway (S & D) as the directors of the M & R were also directors of the S & D and it was soon leased by the S & D.

The line was built by contractors but it appears that the track laying, or at least some of it, was carried out by direct labour of the M & R. In with the vast quantity of railway records at the PRO there are a few of the Time & Wage Bills listing the platelayers of the railway.

The following names are transcribed from wage lists covering January 1847 to May 1847.