Letter from George Stephenson and Thomas Storey to Joseph Pease Jr

[Annotation: No date . But evidently relating to the opening of the Lines __]

Sir.

We have rec’d your letters of the 24th” Inst” and will endeavour to arrange matters so as to meet your views, except some trifling matters respecting ourselves, which is of no importance, We expect to be ready to set off at the time appointed and be at Darlington about ½ after 10 O’Clock A.M.
We have fix’d Men for all the Engines, & Inclined planes, and will fix some one to lead the Coals between the planes and another one to keep a check a/c at the Brussleton Engine, until the Committee make further arrangements.
All the Men on the line will have notices of discharge, except those which will be necessary to keep the Way in repair until the Work can be let.
There will be many arrangements which it will be impossible for us to accomplish before the opening day, but I will take the earliest opportunity afterwards, to inform you of the

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number and description of Men necessary for carrying on the Trade.


We will stop the building of the weighing machine, as you request, until we confer with you on the subject.
In passing Darlington tomorrow we should wish to be as little detaine’d as possible
We are rather astonish’d that the Waggons are not sent up from Darlington, they may be on their road here, but ought to have been here sooner, will you have the goodness to see if they are come off, and if not to dispatch them as early as possible.

We are Sir
Your obe’t H’ble. Serv’ts.
Geo. Stephenson
Thomas Storey

I find it will be rather imprudent for me to leave here tonight, and hope you will excuse and endeavour to get on without me
Geo. Stephenson