The Durham & Sunderland Railway opened to both passenger and mineral traffic between Sunderland Town Moor, and collieries at Hetton-le-Hole and Haswell in 1836, competing directly with the HD&R for coal traffic from the latter. However, it was the D&SR which constructed the first significant north–south section of the Durham Coast Line, that between Ryhope Grange Junction and Ryhope. In conjunction with the HD&R, the D&SR thus enabled passengers to travel between Sunderland and Hartlepool for the first time by rail, although passengers had to change stations at Haswell at the time.