FOLLOWING the recent letters regarding Darlington’s railway heritage from Shirley King (HAS, May 8) and councillor Dorothy Long (HAS, May 13) I’m afraid I have to agree with Shirley.

Darlington could have had a world-class attraction had it maintained even part of the Stockton and Darlington Railway and developed it into a heritage line.

Darlington Borough Council decided not to, however, preferring instead to build a new road along much of the Darlington end of the route.

As Shirley stated, heritage lines are big business nowadays and I feel that Darlington has unfortunately missed the last connection as pioneers of the first passenger railway in the world.

Ken Bousfield, Darlington.