This series covers the meeting held on 18 September 1810 in Stockton-on-Tees Town Hall were the project to construct a canal or railway was first discussed. This was the first time that the prospect of building a railway instead of a canal was mooted, a canal had previously attempted in the 1760/70s. This represents an inflection point between canals and railways as being the most practical form of inland transport for the conveying heavy freight such as coal.