the advantages of the railway over horse-and-cart transport were to be considerable, and the pit proprietors were anxious to start using the line; six empty wagons were sent to haul lane on 30 december 1830. the haul lane coal must have been loaded on the main line, the coal being brought to the railway by horse and cart. (a tramway branch was built to the pit but this was much later.) the loaded wagons were taken down immediately, so that the lower part of the line can be considered to have carried its first traffic on that day or shortly afterwards. the coal was destined for bristol, but the londonderry branch was not ready, so they were taken to the less-convenient keynsham wharf, but the a&gr charged the rates as if londonderry was used.