FURNESS RAILWAY IT'S RISE AND DEVELOPMENT 1846 - 1923

[Susan Bergeron]

FURNESS RAILWAY IT'S RISE AND DEVELOPMENT

1846 - 1923

 

CHAPTER X

 

Towards the close of the 19th Century the Furness Railway had got into something of a rut.  The passenger service was uninspired; the coaching stock out of date and the locomotive power once again inadequate to handle the still increasing train loads.  It seemed obvious that some new blood was required on the administrative side to instil some vigour and enterprise into the policy of the company.

 

Happily, such an event took place in 1895.  In that year MR. COOK, who had served the Company faithfully for nearly 30 years (and the W. & F. J. R. for 20 years before that)  retired.  His position as secretary was filled by MR. ALFRED ASLETT.  The latter came from the Cambrian Railway where he had occupied a similar post.  Coming to the Furness when the area served by the Company was suffering from a trade depression, MR. ASLETT was the right man for the job.  The concern from which he came relied mainly on passenger traffic for its revenue, and it was to such source of income that the Furness now looked for increasing returns.  In the meantime the retiring Secretary was presented with a brougham (amongst other things ) by the Company on his retirement.  Slightly over 12 months after MR. ASLETT'S arrival at Barrow, SIR JAMES RAMSDEN died.  He had served the Furness Railway faithfully and well from its inception, and had been the moving spirit in the development of the Barrow docks and harbour.  One of the docks bore his name and he had been mayor of the town.  His position as General Manager was then taken over by MR. ASLETT, who continued to be Secretary of the Company also.

 

The new Manager didn't waste much time in putting a number of new ideas into practice.  He quickly realised the potentialities of the Furness territory from a tourist traffic point of view and saw that too little attention had been paid to it in the past.  Only four combined rail and coach tours were in operation during the summer months, and MR. ASLETT quickly organised no less than 20.

 

Of these, the pride of MR. ASLETT'S heart was the "six lakes tour"  which embraced Windermere, Ullswater, Derwentwater, Thirlmere, Grasmere and Rydal Water, all for 13/-.  This charge included steamer fares on Windermere and Ullswater, coach travel between the latter two lakes, rail travel from Penright to Keswick over the Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith line and coaching again from Keswick back to the steamer at Ambleside.  Another popular short tour included a visit to Cartmel Priory and Holker Hall, for 4/3.

 

In the summer of 1896 a Sunday service of steamers was introduced on Windermere, and a series of cheap day tickets to pleasure resorts at single rate for the return journey, were issued.  Mr. ASLETT also put in operation cheap weekly tickets, allowing for six journeys a week between any two stations on the system.

 

In 1897 it was decided to abolish 2nd class fares (except on the West Cumberland Joint Lines since the L. & N. W. R. still retained 2nd class.)  To replace the old fares, a new variety, entitled "reserved 3rd " was brought out.  By booking under this heading the passenger got a reserved seat and a small extra fee was added to the normal 3rd class rate.

 

A new development was undertaken by The Naval Construction & Armament Co. (now MESSRS. VICKERS, Sons & Maxim Ltd.)  in the same year (1897.)  This was the establishment of a Gun Testing Range on the foreshore near Eskmeals, some miles north of Millom.

 

In 1896 MR. MASON, the Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Superintendent, retired after 50 years of service with the company.  His successor, MR. W. F. Pettigrew, was immediately confronted with the task of not only designing bigger and better locomotives but improved coaching stock as well.  How he coped with the locomotive situation is dealt with in the next chapter.

 

For the comfort of the traveller on the Furness metals, MR. PETTIGREW designed a series of semi-corridor bogie coaches which compared with favourably with the rolling stock on most of the larger lines in the country.  They were lit with electric lighting on Stone's system and before long most of the other passenger stock was similarly equipped.  The new coaches were also fitted with an ingenious device by which an ingenious device by which an aromatic disenfectant was discharged into the lavatory compartments every time the doors were opened or closed.  The new semi-corridors were first put on the through services between Barrow and Leeds and Bradford; especially on the Belfast boat trains for which the Midland Railway had previously supplied the best coaches.  Later, when through carriages were run to Leeds and Bradford from Whitehaven, Coniston and Lakeside, this new stock was employed.

 

MR. ASLETT'S virile policy soon bore fruit.  Between 1895 and 1898 the number of passenger fares went up by 265,344, representing an increase of 12%.  this big rise in passenger revenue helped to off-set the decline in other directions, caused by the trade slump during this period.  During 1896, for  example, the Barrow steel works were closed for six months, during which time 4,000 men were out of work.

 

By 1898 trade was improving again and in that year goods traffic was up by 17,330 tons and minerals by 55,159 tons, in addition to the steady passenger increase already mentioned.  Messrs. Vickers were now employing 7,000 men in their shipyards at Barrow and a scheme to dredge the Piel Bar near the harbour entrance was completed at a cost of £ 30,000.  Barrow docks now covered an area of 294 acres.  The entrance to the Ramsden dock was 100 feet wide and crane power up to 100 tons lifting capacity had been provided.  While the replacement of the locomotives and rolling stock was going on, the permanent way also received considerable attention.  All the main lines had been re-laid with rails weighing 99 lbs. to the yard and 45 lb. chairs, while sections of 100 lb. flat-bottomed rails were laid experimentally.

 

Even during the winter months of 1901, through coaches were run from London (Euston and St. Pancras,) Liverpool and Manchester to Barrow and Whitehaven; as well as to and from Sheffield, Leeds and Bradford.

 

As from January 1st, 1898, cheap day tickets at single fare for the return journey, were issued by all trains, all the year round.  Other innovations were short date and long dated week-end and tourist tickets, the latter being available for two months from the date of issue.

 

In 1900 an additional steamer was placed in service on Windermere.  This was the "Swift,"  gross tonnage 203, built by T. B. Seath & Co.

 

During 1898 the Company had to provide a number of extra mineral wagons for the Cleator and Workington Railway and also built 15 new tabular frame bogie wagons for handing steel rail traffic between the Barrow steelworks and the docks.  This in turn released a number of "flats" to cope with the increasing amount of timber which the company were handling.

 

As the town of Barrow grew steadily (the population had now reached 60,000, compared with a mere 5,000 in 1860,)  an increasing number of people resided on Walney Island, opposite the town.  A somewhat primitive kind of ferry had been operating between Walney and the mainland, but in 1901 Mr. Pettigrew designed a new one for the job.  Built by the company, it had a hull 72 feet long.  With a width of 36 feet and a depth of 8 feet, the new ferry was fitted with two deck-houses 52 feet long and 10 feet wide.  During its first year in service, 520,000 passengers were carried.

 

For the year 1900 a dividend of 7% was paid.  During the first half of 1901, 682,765 passengers were carried and 780,222 tons of goods and minerals.  In 1901, on the recommendation of Mr. Aslett, work was commenced on the lowering of the sill of the Ramsden dock at Barrow by six feet, in order to allow the largest warship to enter the port.  This scheme was completed towards the end of the year, and was of great benefit to Messrs. Vickers, Sons & Maxim.

 

On the night of February 27th, 1903, a particularly violent storm broke over the North West Coast.  This was responsible for a remarkable accident on the Furness Railway which might have resulted in a serious loss of life.  In the early hours of the morning of February 28th, the down Barrow and Whitehaven mail was crossing Levens Viaduct.  Unknown to the driver and train crew the severe gale had blown down the telegraph wires.  The latter became entangled with the vacuum brake pipe on one of the coaches with the result that the connection was severed and the train brought to a standstill near the centre of the viaduct.  Just after it stopped a particularly fierce gust of wind stuck the train, which consisted of half-a-dozen coaches and a mail sorting van.  Except the latter and the engine (to which the van was attached at the front of the train)  the remaining coaches were blown over on their sides.  Fortunately, they did not fall over the low parapet into the water below.  Thirty-three people were injured, but luckily none severely, and the line was cleared for normal traffic within nine hours.

 

Since the commencement of his reign at Barrow, MR. ASLETT had done much to develop the steamer route between Barrow and Fleetwood; as a means of attracting holiday-makers at Blackpool to visit the Lake District.  Up to 1903 the paddle steamer "Lady Evelyn" had been engaged on this run in the summer months.  She was 200 feet long, and a 24 foot beam, and had a speed of 16 knots.  In 1903 the company put another paddle boat in commission.  This was the "Lady Margaret."  She was built by MESSRS. McMILLAN of Dumbarton, and was 210 feet long with a 25 foot beam.  With a top speed of 17 knots, "Lady Margaret" had accommodation for 700 passengers.  The growing popularity of this service is shown by the fact that "Lady Evelyn" alone carried over 41,000 passengers in 1903, as compared with 28,000 in 1901.  Taken all round, 1903 wasn't such a prosperous year for the Company, and the dividend fell to 5 1/2%.

 

The Midland Railway were causing the Furness some anxiety by 1904 as the big company had been pressing on with their Heysham Harbour scheme and the later port was opened on September 1st, 1904.  Naturally, the Furness saw their traffic to Belfast and the Isle of Man being seriously affected by the alternative (and quicker) route which the Midland were now operating.  Some protracted negotiations were now entered into between the two companies.  However, in 1905, Mr. Aslett was able to report a fairly favourable outcome.  The Midland agreed to maintain a service via Barrow for three years and to the Isle of Man for a shorter period.  The latter purchased the interest of the Furness and Messrs. LITTLE & Co. in the steamer service for £ 45,000.  They also guaranteed to route a proportion of their competitive traffic to and from Belfast via Barrrow, so on the whole the Furness got a fairly reasonable deal.

 

Probably with a view to popularising the Barrow route to the Isle of Man, MR. ASLETT was able to arrange a through service with the North-Eastern Railway from Newcastle-on-Tyne to Barrow, during the summer months.  This was put into operation on July 1st, 1905.  Running via Darlington, Kirkby Stephen and Tebay (from whence the F. R. had running powers over the L.N.W.R. to Hindcaster Junction,)  the morning train left Newcastle (Central) at 9.30 a.m. and arrived at Barrow at 2.10 to connect with the afternoon boat to Douglas.  The return train left Barrow at 12.15 p.m. (after the arrival of the morning steamer from Douglas)  and reached Newcastle at 5.7 p.m.

 

A new paddle steamer was put in service in 1905.  this was the "Gwalia,"  afterwards re-named "Lady Moyra"  after a member of the Cavendish family.  "Lady Moyra" was 247 feet long and 29 feet wide, and had a speed of 19 knots.  During the same year MR. PETTIGREW designed a rail motor for the Lakeside branch.  Seating 12 first and 36 third class passengers, the car was 60 ft. 11 ins. long over buffer, with a 48 ft. wheelbase.  Cylinders 11x14 ins., with Walchaert Valve Gear, drove coupled wheels 2 ft. 10 ins. in diameter.  Working pressure was 100 lbs. and water capacity 300 gallons.  A second one was built later.  Both were scrapped in 1918.

 

A "bigger wagon" policy was inaugurated in 1906 when the Company ordered 100 wagons of 15 tons capacity.  A new combined rail, sea, lake and coach tour was freely advertised by coloured posters and in the special guide book which was now issued annually.  This started from Blackpool and took the tourist by steamer from Fleetwood to Barrow; thence by rail to Lakeside and then by steamer again up to Ambleside.  From the latter a coach ran to Coniston from which rail travel was again resumed back to Barrow and the steamer back to Fleetwood.  The whole trip was laid on for 7/6.  In spite of the energetic policy carried out by MR. ASLETT (he was now a J.P. and a member of the Barrow Chamber of Commerce,)  contraction in local trade and a steady increase in working and other expenditure were still reducing the annual dividend.  It was 5% in 1903; 3 3/4 % in 1905; and 3% in 1906.

 

Bad weather during the tourist season and still no improvement in the iron and steel industries made 1907 another poor year.  Passenger revenue just held its own, showing an increase of a mere £ 187.  Goods and mineral returns were nearly £800 lower than in 1906.  However, 1908 opened with a number of new schemes.  Most of them concerned Barrow docks and the steamer services.

 

The bridge over the Buccleuch dock was widened during the year at a cost of £10,000.  This was to enable ships with a beam of 95 feet to be built at Barrow.  A new bascule bridge was also constructed between the Ramsden and Buccleuch docks and another bridge, connecting Walney Island with the mainland was opened.  This enabled the steam ferry to be abandoned.

 

On Coniston Lake the old "gondola" had done faithful service since 1859.  MR. PETTIGREW now designed an improved model, 90 feet long and 15 feet wide.  Power was supplied by two pairs of high pressure cylinders 10x10 ins., working at 120 pressure.  The new vessel was equipped with two cabins and had a speed of 11 knots.  she was built near Southampton and then sent in parts by rail to Coniston were she was re-assembled.

 

For the Fleetwood-Barrow pleasure services, a further paddle steamer commenced operations in 1908.  This was the "Philomel."  She was 236 feet long and had a beam of 27 feet.  Accommodation for 1,000 passengers was provided, and she had a top speed of 14 knots.  During this year the Franco-British Exhibition was held and the enterprising MR. ASLETT took a stand there on which the attractions of the Lake District were attractively displayed and a special series of folders, written in French, were issued.  In spite of all these efforts, however, the dividend for 1908 reached a "new low" 3/4%.  The following year it rose fractionally to 7/8%.

 

The Duke of Devonshire died in 1908. and his place as chairman was filled by his nephew, The Marquis of Hartington, who later succeeded to the title.  He had joined the board in 1890.  In 1909 the Company's Engineer, MR. W. W. WHITWORTH, retired on account of ill-health.  He was succeeded by MR. D. L. RUTHERFORD, who came from the North British Railway.  In the same year MR. E. J. RAMSDEN, son of the late Sir JAMES RAMSDEN, joined the board of directors.  He had been Superintendent of the line since 1896.

 

During the period of depression through which the area served by the Furness was passing at this time, the Company put on a through coach of an unusual kind.  This was from Whitehaven to Southampton on Friday nights, for the benefit of the large number of people who were emigrating to South Africa, Australia and Canada.  The coach was "prepared" at Barrow in the afternoon and sent north to Whitehaven to be attached to the evening up mail.

 

The number of people patronising the Fleetwood-Barrow steamer service showed a welcome increase in 1910.  the number going up by over 25,000 compared with the previous year.  The total was 127,000.  This was a better year financially, the number of passengers carried being 3,068,982 and the goods and minerals totalled 4,288,963 tons.  A dividend of 2 1/8% was declared.

 

The Cavendish dock was now leased to MESSRS. VICKERS, and an electric crane of 150 tons lifting capacity had been erected at the Buccleuch dock.

 

The directors had now laid it down that all apprentices should attend technical classes organised by the Barrow Education Committee, and all successful students were given increased pay.  Classes for first aid had also been organised, and a special shield was competed for annually by teams from various parts of the system.  The Bury locomotive "Copper Nob, "  which was withdrawn from service in 1907, was now installed in her "glass case" at Barrow Central station.

 

Some accelerations and improvements were made to the train services in the summer of 1911.  The 4-43 p.m. from Carnforth was speeded up to reach Whitehaven at 7-10 p.m., and with the Euston through coaches leaving there at 11-25, the time from London to Whitehaven was cut to 7 hrs. 45 min.  On Mondays only the morning through carriage to London left Whitehaven at 7-45 instead of 6-40 and still arrived at Euston at the same time.

 

Now that the Midland only had a secondary interest in the steamer services from barrow the Belfast and the Isle of Man, the through coaches from St. Pancras to the Furness line were cancelled, but through carriages were still run on quite a generous scale from Bradford and Leeds.  the area did not suffer by this absence of the St. Pancras direct run, as the L.N.W. provided a quicker route to and from Euston, with better facilities.

 

About this time MR. ASLETT was the prime mover in another small, but novel, idea to still further foster the tourist attractions for the Furness territory.  The Company purchased the house, "High Cocken,"  which had been the residence of the painter,  GEORGE ROMNEY, and his father from 1742 to 1755.  The house was renovated and a museum established there, a small charge being made for admission.

 

Nothing of special moment occurred during the following year.  Neither 1911 or 1912 were so successful from a financial point of view, the dividends being below 2%, but in 1913 things were on the up-grade again.  Quite an impressive list of improvements were recorded at the Annual Meeting.  The number of passengers had gone up by 515,705 compared with 1912.  The passenger revenue was up by £ 45,000 compared with fifteen years previously (another tribute to MR. ASLETT'S astute policy of developing the tourist appeal of the area,)  while the steamer services were carrying 30% more passengers than in the previous year.  Goods and mineral traffic was also up by 528,000 tons.  The year also saw the finishing of another expensive improvement to the shipping facilities at Barrow.  This was the widening and deepening of the Walney Channel and the final dredging of Piel Bar.  The ordinary shareholders received 2 1/2 %.

 

Since 1913 saw the final development of the through connections between the Furness Railway and other lines, prior to the 1914-1918 War.

In the summer of 1914 the only alteration to the train service was the provision of a new semi-fast-train leaving Whitehaven for Carnforth at 8-53 a.m., and giving an arrival at Euston at 5-7 p.m.

 

The viaducts over the Leven and Kent estuaries which had been built 57 years previously, were now further strengthened so that the speed limits which had been imposed thereon were abolished.  This work cost £ 48,000.

 

During the 18 years in which Mr. Aslett had been at Barrow, passenger traffic had increased by 102% and the gross receipts by 65%.  This was equivalent to a 1 1/2 % dividend on the Ordinary Stock.

 

When the Great War broke out the Furness Railway owned 136 locomotives; 362 coaching vehicles; 3,939 open and 2,335 mineral wagons; 304 covered wagons; 126 cattle trucks; 711 rail and timer trucks; 87 goods brake vans; and 357 service vehicles.  The total length of track owned ( reduced to single line and including sidings) was 428 miles 55 chains.  The total engine miles run during the year was 2,798,191, of which passenger traffic made up 837, 564 miles and goods traffic 805, 023 miles.  the balance was made up by banking and shunting duties.  The severe gradients on both sides of Lindal and on the "Joint Lines" accounted for the banking mileage reaching a total of 318,281 miles.  The Company also owned 153 houses which were occupied by its own staff, and over 800 other buildings.

 

Owing to contraction in all branches of traffic and the heavy expenditure on the viaduct strengthening scheme, plus a fairly large locomotive renewal programme, no more than a half-per-cent dividend could be declared for 1914.  The next four years were to tax the resources of the Furness Railway to the utmost, as will be seen in the next chapter.

 

to be con't.

 

.....      

 

 

 

 

[Susan Bergeron]

FURNESS RAILWAY IT'S RISE AND DEVELOPMENT 1846 - 1923

 

CHAPTER XI

 

The Great War found the Furness Railway serving an area which was destined to play a big part in Great Britain's war effort.  Since the railway served Barrow, with its naval construction yards, and the gun-making plant of MESSRS.  VICKERS, as well as the series of blast furnace plants at Carnforth, Ulverston, Barrow, Millom, and in the Cleator district, it can be imagined that a great increase in the volume of goods and mineral traffic would result.

 

For example, after 12 months of war, the cost of wagon renewals was up by £ 10,000 compared with 1912, and on the passenger side no less than 3,000 workmen's tickets were issued.  The company were compelled to provide a number of additional passenger coaches to cope with the traffic.  In spite of the heavy rise in expenditure, the increasing revenue in all departments enabled the dividend to be increased to 2% for 1915.

 

In 1916 the Duke of Devonshire resigned from the chairmanship on being appointed Civil Lord of the Admiralty.  Lord Muncaster, who had become a director in 1890, took his place, but resigned a year later.  He died at the end of March, 1917, and was succeeded by the Deputy Chairman, MR. F. J. RAMSDEN.

 

Goods and mineral traffic went up to 4,959,332 tons during 1916 and the dividend was 2 1/4% for the year.  This figure was maintained until 1919.

 

The continued wagon shortage compelled the company to hire a large number of trucks from South Wales, and the locomotive position became even ore acute.  Assistance was forthcoming from the L. & N. W.;  North-Eastern, and Maryport & Carlisle Railways, and how this was employed is shown later in this chapter.

 

During 1916 the Furness Railway purchased £ 50,000 of War Loan as a contribution to the war effort.  An all time record for the amount of mineral traffic handled by the company was set up during 1917, when the tonnage was 5,410,039 tons.  In the same year the management of the Furness Abbey Hotel was taken over.  The number of employees who had joined the services now totaled 420.  A further 348 wagons were hired during the year, and 116 women were employed by the company.

 

We now turn to consider some of the special working arrangements which came into force during the War, especially where they concerned the workings of "foreign" locomotives over Furness metals.

 

It has already been noted that the Furness had running powers over the metals of the L.N.W.R. from Hindcaster Junction to Oxenholme, in order that their passenger trains from Arnside could reach Kendal.  They had similar powers as far as Tebay on the main line to Penrith and Carlisle, so that they could work train loads of Durham blast-furnace coke, which were handed over to them by the N.E.R. at Tebay, through to the various plants on their system.  These trains were worked to Tebay from the various coke-ovens in Durham via Darlington, Barnard Castle and Kirkby Stephen.  Under special war-time arrangements, North-Eastern locomotives worked some of these trains right through to Lindal Ore Depot Sidings and Barrow.  Certain goods trains off the L.N.E.R. at Carnforth were also worked as far as Barrow by North-Western locomotives.  At the northern end of the system, the 7-5 p.m. up mail train was handled as far as Millom by a Maryport & Carlisle 0-4-2 tender engine, which returned from Millom to Whitehaven with the last down passenger turn of the day.  Another innovation was the running through to Workington of the morning down fast goods from Barrrow to Whitehaven.  This saved a good deal of exchange shunting at Corkickle Sidings, and cut out a L.N.W.R. turn from Workington to Corkickle and back.

 

Sunday goods workings were also introduced; a great novelty on the system.  They consisted largely of Admiralty coal specials.  These were destined for naval bases in Scotland and were worked round by the Furness and Maryport & Carlisle systems to relieve congestion on the main route over Shap.  Not unnaturally they received the nickname of "Jellicoes."  L.N.W. 0-6-0 "Cauliflowers"  invariably worked these trains, which usually consisted of 50-odd wagons.

 

The huge increase in goods and mineral traffic made a number of improvements on the Furness essential, expecially as regards additional facilities for more speedy handling of the trains.  On the sandhills near Eskmeals, MESSRS. VICKER'S gun-testing establishment was greatly extended during the war.  In connection with it the firm had quite an extensive private railway and this was connected to the Furness line by a spur just south of Eskmeals.  A halt platform, named "Monkmoors" was built beside the point where the spur line branched off and special workmen's trains were run to Monkmoors from Barrow and Millom.

 

On account of the greatly increased number of workings the block section between Bootle and Silecroft, which was over five miles long, was cut by putting in an intermediate signal box at Stangrah.  The signal posts there were all of concrete, similar to those in use on the Great Northern Railway.

 

To alleviate congestion at the Corkickle end of the tunnel from there to Bransty Station, a new cross-over, from the double tracked "Joint Line" to the Furness single one, was put in about a mile south of Mirehouse Junction, just before the two tracks parted company.  A new signal box was also erected (Corkickle No. 1.)  After this the whole of the original Furness single track from Corkickle No. 1 to No. 3 box became a "permissive" goods road and all passenger trains used the "Joint Line" between Corkickle NO. 1 and No. 3.  At Barrow many miles of new sidings were laid out to accommodate the many additional trains which had to be marshalled and dispatched.  By the time the War was over, the Furness Railway was really feeling the strain.  Fortunately, a number of new engines were delivered in 1918, for they were badly needed.

 

In April 1918, MR.  ASLETT retired, at the age of 71.  The War years had tried him severely.  During his 23 year at Barrrow he had done great work for the company.  His retirement was universally regretted, as he had been closely identified with the town and trade of Barrow, apart from his position as secretary and general manager of the railway.  Shortly after his leaving, he was presented with his portrait in oils by the company.

 

In the same year the sum of £ 100,000 was spent on a new and larger dry dock at Barrow; this would accommodate the largest ships using the port.

 

During the first year after the War ended slightly under 3,000,000 tons of goods and minerals were dealt with and slightly over 5,000,000 passengers carried.

 

MR. D.L. Rutherford succeeded MR. W. F. PETTIGREW as Locomotive Superintendent in 1919, and in the same year the Company founded a University Scholarship, valued at £ 100 for three years.  This was open to any employee with more than one year's service.

 

The trade boom which followed the end of the war kept the Furness fairly busy, but by 1921 things had slackened off and the cost of many renewals which had been held up since 1914 were having their effect on the financial returns.  The dividend fell to 1% in 1921.

 

the Company started its own staff journal, "The Furness Railway Magazine,"  in 1920.  Mainly as an economy measure that coaching stock was painted blue all over from 1920 onwards, instead of blue with while upper panels as it had been since the 1870's.  Prior to then the livery had been varnished teak.

 

Before giving a final survey of the Company immediately before it was absorbed into the London, Midland & Scottish Railway, a summary of the train workings in their last form is interesting.  The arrangements in force during the summer of 1922 will give a good example, as they remained fairly constant from 1919 to 1923.

 

Dealing first with the passenger trains which ran over the entire length of the main line, the day commenced (in the down direction) with the 4-40 a.m."down mail."  this stopped for two minutes at Grange to drop mails only and reached Barrow at 5-36, having stopped at Ulverston and Dalton.  After a ten minute stop at Barrow, the mail called at Foxfield Junction and reached Millom at 6-13 a.m.  Leaving Millom at 6-18, it stopped for mails only at Bootle and Drigg and, omitting stops at Netherton and Braystones, reached Whitehaven (Bransty Station ) at 7-25 a.m.  Admittedly, running was not impressive North of Barrow, but allowance must be made for a nine-minute stop at Sellafield to "cross" the 6-35 a.m. up train from Whitehaven, before entering the single track section from Sellafield to Corkickle No. 1 Signal Box.  Speed throughout, excluding stops, was in the region of 35 m.p.h.

 

The next rain left Carnforth at 6-55 a.m. and omitting five stops, reached Whitehaven at 10 o'clock.  another "slow," leaving at 9-53 a.m., got to the northern terminus of the line at 1-20 p.m.  This train called at all stations.  The 1-30 p.m. was an exactly similar effort and got to Bransty station at 4-55 p.m., through coaches which left Euston at 6-35 a.m. for Barrow and Whitehaven were attached.  The last two departures from Carnforth for Whitehaven were at 4-20 p.m. and 7-10 p.m.  the former was described as a "fast passenger," but although it only called at Grange, Ulverston and Barrow between Carnforth and Millom, it was an "all stations" run on from the latter and carried "slow lights"  from there.  through carriages from Euston (departing at 10-30 a.m.)  were conveyed and Bransty was reached at 7-10 p.m.

 

The 7-10 p.m. was the fastest down run on the system.  It made seven stops, plus four conditional ones (to drop passengers from south of Carnforth) and two additional stops on Saturday nights only.  Rather oddly no extra running time was allowed on Saturdays.  The through coaches leaving Euston at 1-30 p.m. were conveyed on this train which reached Whitehaven at 9-35 p.m. and averaged 37 m.p.h., excluding stops.  Among the staff this was always know as the "boat train," a survival from the '80's.  

 

In the up direction the day began with the 6-35 a.m. "slow" from Whitehaven.  Two stops were omitted between St. Bees and Seascale, and then it was "all stations to Carnforth"  The latter was reached at 9-55a.m.  A through carriage to Euston on this working arrived there at 4-30 p.m.  The 10-15 a.m. didn't miss a single station and got to Carnforth at 1-43 p.m.

 

At 11-35 a.m. the best up train of the day left Whitehaven for the South.  Only five stops were made (St. Bees, Seascale, Millom, Barrow and Ulverston,)  plus a conditional (for south of Carnforth passengers only)  at Ravenglass.  Through carriages to Euston (and to Leeds from Whitehaven in the summer, and from Barrow all the year round)  were attached and eventually the rest of the train ran through to Preston.  This "express" got to Carnforth at 1-53 p.m. and averaged nearly 38 m.p.h.  the Euston coaches arrived in London at 7-30 p.m.

 

"Slow lights" were carried by the 1-50 p.m. from Bransty since it called at all stations to Millom.  From there "fast lights" were substituted, as stops were only made at Foxfield, Barrow and Ulverston.  This "semi-fast" arrived at Carnforth at 4-38 p.m. and the arrival time for the through coaches to Euston was 10-45 p.m.  Five calls were missed out by the 3-5 p.m. and two minutes under three hours were required to complete its run.

 

At 5-30 p.m. "The Bond" left Whitehaven for Carnforth, calling at all stations.  It picked up mails from the small stations, and acted as a link to the 7-0 p.m. down mail.  this train earned its strange title on account of the fact that the guard was invariably a man of that name.

 

The last through up trip was the 7-0 p.m. mail.  Compared with the 11-35 a.m. it made two additional stops (at Sellafield and Askam) and the booked time at Carnforth was 9-22 p.m.  the average speed was a little below that of the morning "express."

 

A brief summary of the intermediate services will complete our picture of the passenger trains on the Furness main line.

 

Five trains left Carnforth daily of which all terminated at Barrow except one.  the exception was the -25 p.m., which ran to Millom, arriving there at 6-35 p.m.  The first of these intermediate runs (the 5-40 a.m. from Carnforth)  consisted of an engine and van as far as Grange-over-Sands, to which mails only were conveyed.  After a 20 minute stop at Grange to attach passenger coaches, this train proceeded normally to Barrow. The last run of the day was the 10-40 p.m. from Carnforth.  This train brought the through carriages off the 4-50 p.m. from Euston and made two booked and four conditional stops (to set down from south of Carnforth only)  between Carnforth and Barrow. Being the last passenger run on to the system from the other railways the 10-40 p.m. was always referred to as "the Whip."

 

In the up direction four additional runs were made from Barrow to Carnforth with an extra one on Saturdays only.  This was an excursion to Manchester.  None of these trains call for any special comment, except the 9-15 a.m., which had a through carriage to Euston, and only stopped at Ulverston and Grange-over-Sands.

 

Between Barrow and Ulverston about five local runs in each direction were provided and one or two of these were extended to Grange.  There were also three additional trains each way between Barrow and Millom.  One of these in each direction ran to and from the Barrow shipyard for the benefit of the many workmen employed there.  From Millom to Whitehaven there was a daily "all stations" run at 7-45 a.m. and a "market special" from Barrow to Whitehaven at 9-45 a.m. on Thursdays only.

 

On Sundays the timetable was very simple.  Two trains, calling at all stations, ran over the main line from end to end.  Departures from Carnforth were 7-35 a.m. and 5-20 p.m. from Whitehaven at 10-10 a.m. and 5-43 p.m.  Only the 10-10 a.m. started from Bransty station, the other departure and both arrivals were from and to Corkickle station only.  This was done to enable the engineers to take charge of the Whitehaven tunnel, which was showing signs of "wear and tear."  Nearly 25 years later the L.M. & S. company are still engaged on "preserving" its interior fabric.

 

The rest of the Sunday service consisted of a couple of trips each way between Barrow and Carnforth, one evening trip from Barrow to Millom only, and about half-a-dozen runs to and from Ulverston from Barrow. A number of the latter trains ran through to Lakeside during the summer months.  There was also an afternoon through run from Barrow to Coniston on Sundays, from June to September.

 

It will be recalled that the Furness Railway had running powers over the L.& N.W. main line to Lancaster.  They were also empowered to run direct into Morecambe by the single line spur from Hest Bank to Bare.  After the War a certain number of through trains were run to and from Barrow to both Lancaster and Morecambe.  In the summer months too, at least two through trains were run between Lancaster and Lakeside, Windermere.  They ran direct on to the Lakeside branch via the Leven Curve, thus avoiding reversal at Ulverston.  As these trains ran in connection with the Furness steamer service up to Bowness and Ambleside, they proved popular with day visitors to the Southern Lake District and the surrounding areas.

 

In the summer of 1922 these through runs to Lakeside started from Morecambe.  The morning departure from the latter was at 9-40 a.m., reaching Windermere (Lakeside Pier)  at 11-2 a.m.  This connected with the 11-25 a.m. steamer to Ambleside.  In the reverse direction the return trip left Lakeside at 6-30 p.m.  (after the arrival of the steamer from Ambleside at 6-10 p.m.)  Travellers were back in Morecambe at 8-5 p.m.  Most of the through trains between Barrow and Lancaster ran on Sundays, but there was usually one weekday turn in each direction and one from Lancaster to Grange on Wednesdays only.  The train services provided on the branch lines varied according to the time of year, but Coniston and Lakeside had between six and eight trips each way and the Kendal branch one or two less.

 

As will have been noticed the best trains on the main line could not be described as particularly speedy, especially when compared with the schedules in operation 25 years earlier.  However it must be remembered that the Furness had hardly got over the effects of four years of war conditions.  It was only in 1920  that MR. RUTHERFORD'S big "Baltic" tank appeared and no doubt some substantial improvements in the timings would have come into force had the Grouping not intervened in 1923.

 

Since goods and mineral traffic had invariably been the biggest item on the Furness Railway, and for many years the mainstay of the prosperity, we naturally find a preponderance of such workings on the line.

 

Before considering the time-table in force in 1922, when the traffic had fallen off considerably, let us take a look at the main flows of goods and minerals on the system.

 

To begin with there was normally a heavy tonnage of raw materials in one direction, and of finished and semi-finished products in both directions, between Carnforth and Ulverston (North Lonsdale Ironworks) and Carnforth and Barrow.  To this must be added the coke traffic from Durham to Ulverston, Barrow and Millom, together with the local ore traffic from mines in the Lindal and Dalton areas to the blast furnaces at all those three places.  At the northern end of the line, the Millom and Askam Iron Company not only drew their iron ore from the mines at Hodbarrow, but from pits in the Cleator district as well.  Furthermore, there was a considerable pig iron tonnage from the Whitehaven Haematite Iron Company's plant at Cleator Moor which went south via the Furness Railway.  There were also a number of iron and steel plants in the Workington area and quite a heavy tonnage from there to Midlands and South was routed via Whitehaven  and Barrow.  Finally there was the considerable goods and general merchandise traffic to and from the Barrow Docks.  Bearing all this in mind the "layout" of the goods train working timetables will be more easily appreciated.

 

Starting once again from the Carnforth end, we find 11 goods trains booked to start from there each weekday in mid-1922.  All except two were designated "fats."  The exceptions were the roadside turns to Lindal and the Kendal branch.

The destinations of the fast runs were: Barrow 6  Whitehaven 1 Ulverston 2

 

The Whitehaven turn was given to title of "express goods" and on its down run was limited to merchandise traffic only.  running via the original main line from Dalton Junction to Park South (thus avoiding Barrow,)  it reached Corkickle Sidings from Carnforth in three hours dead.  Only one stop, of five minutes for water at Millom, was made.

 

It will be noticed that there were no special trips for Millom laid on from Carnforth.  This was because the usual practice was to convey Millom traffic on Barrow trains as far as Lindal Ore Depot Sidings.  Here it was dropped off and worked on to Millom via the Barrow avoiding line by one of the intermediate workings.

 

In the up direction, goods arrivals at Carnforth numbered 12.  They were originated on the system as follows:

Barrow 5 Ulverston 4  Whitehaven 1  Millom 1  Kendal Branch 1

 

An unusual feature of the up time table was that no goods or mineral train arrived at Carnforth from the north before 1-0 p.m.

The up working from Whitehaven (Corkickle Sidings)  was again designated "express,"  but his time a fair amount of mineral traffic was included in its load (especially coke for the Millom furnaces from the Allerdale coke ovens, near Workington.)  Millom was once again its only stop, but for 35 minutes to attach and detach traffic, and to let the 11-35 a.m. express passenger get in front.

 

Mention has already been made of the coke traffic from Durham to the Furness area.  This was picked up from the North-Eastern Railway at Tebay and, since the Furness Railway had working powers to that point, the loads of coke were worked from there jointly by Furness and L.& N.W.R. engines and men.  To deal with the tonnage coming along in 1922, six trips in each direction were laid on.  One of these was "conditional."  Three were worked by each company.  those handled by the North-Western terminated at Lindal Ore Depot, and those by the Furness ran to Barrow.  Engines most generally used were Class G.1 0-8-0's by the L.& N.W. and MR. PETTIGREW'S latest 0-6-0's by the Furness.

 

On the Barrow-Whitehaven section, in addition to the through turn from Carnforth already described, there were two other fast goods trips to and from Barrow.  From Whitehaven to Millom there was a "road-side" goods and an "engine and van" run to Sellafield.  Here and iron ore load was picked up off the Joint Line and worked on to Millom.  In the down direction there were two fast and a road-side turn from Millom to Whitehaven.

 

By the 1920's the mineral traffic off the Joint Line had fallen off so severely that tone through train from Egremont to Millom and back and another from Barrow to Sellafield and back sufficed to deal with the loadings available.  The remaining intermediate workings consisted mainly of several trips between Millom and Ulverston (North Lonsdale Ironworks):  Barrow and North Lonsdale and Park Mineral Sidings and the same place.

 

The passenger and goods services on the Joint Lines are dealt with in Chapter XIII.

 

The severe gradients up to Lindal Sidings from both north and south put very severe restrictions on unassisted train loads.  Going north the rising gradient starts near Plumpton Junction and steepens from 1 in 186 for six chains to 1 in 94; 1 in 76 and further lengths varying from 1 in 79 to 1 in 107.  the full climb is nearly four miles long and there are two curves on 25 chains radius after nearly three miles of collar work.  coming south there is a steady climb from Askam with a maximum gradient of 1 in 94, followed by a "dip" through Park Sidings.  From Park South (or as it should be more correctly called, Thwaite Flat Junction), those trains routed by the original main line are faced with a stiff climb, maximum gradient 1 in 73, to Dalton Junction.  From there to Lindal there are stretches of 1 in 97 and 1 in 103 and on these portions there are four curves, of which one is 24 chains, one 26, and two of 25 chains radius.  For trains starting from Barrow, the climb is continuous from Roose, with a maximum of 1 in 63, just before Dalton Junction.  There are three curves of 25 chains on this section.  The unassisted loads were calculated on a wagon basis.  For example, a "Sharpie" could only tackle 14 loaded iron ore wagons and a brake van on its own from Plumpton Junction to Lindal Sidings.  It could take 17 wagons of coke, coal, pig iron or limestone, and 24 of merchandise.  These loadings also applied to passenger and small tank engines.  With MR. PETTIGREW'S larger 0-6-0 tender and 0-6-2 tank locomotives, the number of wagons was stepped up to 23, 26 and 38 respectively.  Restrictions between Barrow and Lindal and Askam and Lindal (via the direct line)  were the same.  It will be seen, therefore, that banking was needed for practically every goods train up both sides of the climb to Lindal.

 

For north-bound trains the banking engine was attached at Plumpton Junction.  Depending on the load, assistance was given to south-bound runs, via the direct line, either from Askam or Park South. The unassisted loads between the two last-named points was roughly double those which applied beyond Park Sidings.  From Barrow, the "pusher" was put on at Roose.  It was laid down that the maximum number of wagons on any train on the system was 60 (including brake van.)

 

As stated in the chapter dealing with the Furness locomotives, the latter were invariably kept in a spotless condition.  On the system as a whole there was a friendly atmosphere, and the staff were encouraged to make suggestions for improving the working of the trains.  Each goods guard had his own brake van, with his own name and depot painted in white on a small panel on the doors.  The station buildings, which were of a substantial and quite attractive character, were painted in a colour scheme of red and cream.

 

The earliest type of signals used on the Furness double track lines had slotted wooden posts with the arm pivoted in the centre.  The normal position of the arm was horizontal, with a red light showing at night.  For "all right" the arm was lowered to an angle of 70 degrees, and a white light exposed.  Distant signals had the usual "fish-tail" ends and were painted red and white as the stop variety.  They showed a red light for caution and were fitted with an acetylene lamp which gave a white flashing light in the "off" position.  Originally they were not locked with the home signals, this being done at a later date.

 

On single lines a modified form of the disc and cross-bar signal, as used on the G.W.R., was employed.  This consisted of a wooden disc 18 inches in diameter with a red face, fitted to a post 10 feet high.  When the red face was exposed to the driver it indicated "stop."  For "all right" the disc was turned through an angle of 90 degrees so that only the edge could be seen by the engine driver.  These signals were erected at all crossing loops ( one at each end)  and were operated from the foot of the post.

 

The first telephones were not installed in signal boxes, but in the station offices.  They were of the phonophore type and the circuits were super-imposed on the block wire.

 

The signals finally were mainly of two types.  The older ones had latticed girder posts and the signal lamp and spectacles were mounted much lower down than the arm itself, which was still pivoted in the centre of the post.  The later design was more akin to the North-Western pattern.  One unique feature was the method of raising and lowering the signal lamps when they required a fresh filling of lamp oil.  A chain ran from a little hand winch fitted on the side of the post; over a pulley wheel let into the top of the signal, and was then attached to the lamp itself.  The latter was clipped on to a sliding bar which ran the full length of one side of the post.  This arrangement obviated the fitting of a ladder.  Only in the latest signals erected by the Furness was the ladder substituted for this winch arrangement.

 

On all the single lines Tyer's electric tablet instruments were employed.  On the main line, one wire two position-block instruments were employed.  On the main line, one wire two position-block instruments were first used.  Later they were replaced by the three-position type.

 

The main line, owing to the curvature of the coast line, was handicapped (as it still is)  by a number of very sharp curves.  Some of these have already been mentioned.  The most severe one is a Par South (Thwaite Flat Junction) where the present main line via Barrow turns off the Dalton direct track.  The curve here has a radius of only 11 chains and there is a very severe speed restriction.  There is also one of 14 chains after leaving Barrow for the south, just beyond St. Lukes Junction.  Since the Furness Railway mainly followed the coast-line, the track nowhere reaches any great altitude.  The highest point is on the Coniston Branch at Torver (345 feet above sea-level).

 

Now we come to the fateful year 1922.  The Report of the Directors and Statement of Accounts for the year ending December 31st, 1922, was issued on February 3rd, 1923, and was stated to be for submission to:

"The 147th (being the Tenth Annual and Final) Ordinary General Meeting of the Company to be held at the Furness Abbey Hotel, on Tuesday, the 20th February, 1923, at 1-30 p.m."

 

The heading of the Report continued:

 

"Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the provisions of the North-Western, Midland and West Scottish Group Amalgamation Scheme, 1922, an Annual General Meeting will be held ...for the transaction of the business for which such Meeting is by the Scheme required to be held, including the payment out of the assets of the Company of such compensation as may be determined to the Directors of the Company who suffer loss by abolition of office."

The following comprised the final Board of Directors:

Frederic J. RAMSDEN (Chairman), Myles KENNEDY (Deputy Chairman), Col. The Rt. Hon. Lord Richard CAVENDISH, His Grace the Duke of Devonshire, LT. Col. J. Arthur JACKSON, Sir John RANDLES, G. Muir RITCHIE.

 

During 1922 the gross receipts from all sources (Railway, steamboats, docks, etc. ) was £ 973,465 and expenditure £ 839,280.  After the addition of £ 273,694 from the Railways Compensation Account (under the 1921 Railways Act) and £ 8,523 from rents, etc., there remained a net income of £ 273,694.

 

After paying interests, rentals and other fixed charges, the dividends on the Guaranteed and Preference Stock and the sum of £9,000 to the Contingency Fund, the balance available for the Ordinary Dividend was £ 52,840.  An interim payment of 1/2% had been made in August, and a Final dividend of 1 1/2% was proposed, making 2% for the last year of the Company's existence.

 

During 1922 the goods and mineral traffic carried totalled 3,103,477 tons.  this was of course much below the figures which had obtained during the War years, but was 600,000 tons better than 1921.  Goods and mineral receipts were £563,010.

 

Just over 3 1/2 million passengers were carried during the same period.  This number also showed an improvement on the year before, to the tune of about 75,000.  The receipts totalled £ 183,704.  There were about 1,500 season ticket holders using the Furness Railway, of which 90% were 3rd class.

 

The mileage of lines owned in 1922 (reduced to single track and sidings)  was 329 miles and 42 chains.  Jointly owned lines added another 54 miles and 60 chains.  Finally the little Cleator and Workington contributed another 46 miles and 6 chains under the heading of Lines worked by the company.  All this gave a grand total of 430 miles and 29 chains.  If sidings be ignored, the final figures, reduced to a single track only, were 193 miles 22 chains (owned) ; 35 miles 47 chains ( jointly owned) ; and 31 miles 57 chains (worked) ; total:  260 miles 46 chains.

 

In view of the vast amount of money the Furness Railway sunk in the development of the port of Barrow, the final figures of receipts and expenditure on the Docks are of interest.  In 1922 total revenue was £112,286 and expenditure £110,575.  Just over £1,700  was made.  The steamboats made double that amount of profit in the same period.  All accrued from the services on Windermere and Coniston Lakes.  After the War, it was decided not to renew the Barrow-Fleetwood summer service, as it was felt that under the changed conditions it would not pay.  Two of the boats used on this service had been requisitioned by the Admiralty on the outbreak of the War, but returned safely after 1918.  They were broken up later.

 

The number of locomotives owned by the Furness Railway, and the mileage run by the engines in the last year of independence, is given in Chapter XII.

 

Final coaching figures gave the company 269 passenger carriages; 24 luggage and parcels vans, 27 horse boxes; 12 carriage trucks and 2 postal sorting vans.  The chief items among the 7,365 goods and mineral stock, were 4,291 open goods wagons (the majority being between 8 and 12 tons) ; 1,880 iron ore wagons; 289 goods vans; 701 rail and timber trucks; 115 cattle trucks; and 87 goods brake vans.  A variety of service vehicles totalled 374.

 

It was the proud boast of the Furness Railway Company that no serious accident occurred on the system during its existence (other than the one on Leven Viaduct in 1903) and no Furness engine was ever involved in a collision with another.

 

to be cont'd 

 

....

 

Susan  

 

   

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

          

[Susan Bergeron]

FURNESS RAILWAY IT'S RISE AND DEVELOPMENT 1846 - 1923

 

CHAPTER XIII

 

The Joint lines.

 

As related in Chapter VI. the Whitehaven, Cleator & Egremont Railway became the joint property of the Furness and London & North-Western Railways in 1879.  In this chapter we shall see how the joint working was carried out and the way it which the duties were shared between the two companies.

 

The Joint Lines comprised the Railway from Whitehaven to Marron Junction; Moor Row to Sellafield; and the following mineral branches; Bigrigg and Pallaflat; Crossfield; Beckermet Mines and Gilgarron.

 

At Corkickle, the double track of the Joint Line branches off at the end of the platform and runs parallel to the single track of the Furness main line to a point some distance beyond Mirehouse Junction signal-box.  There is a cross-over between the two lines at the latter point.  Thereafter the joint track turns eastwards and climbs Corkickle bank with its maximum gradient of 1 in 52, to Moor Row Junction.  From there the double track continues to Rowrah, 9 miles and 36 chains from Whitehaven.  Thence to Marron Junction on the Workington-Cockermouth Section of the L.N.W.R., the line is single.  The distance from Rowrah to Marron Junction is 8 miles and 33 chains.

 

Returning to Moor Row, the line to Sellafield, via Egremont, branches off there.  It is single to Woodend, the next station.  From Woodend the track becomes double as far as Egremont from whence it is single again to Sellafield.  Gradients over the whole system are severe.  On the Rowrah line the gradient beyond Frizington steepens from 1 in 100 to 1 to 60 and later to a maximum of 1 in 44.  Beyond Rowrah there is maximum falling gradient of 1 in 55 towards Lamplugh.  On the Sellafield line there are two stretches of 1 in 80, both rising towards Moor Row.

 

After the absorption of the Whitehaven, Cleator & Egremont Railway, most of the stations were re-built as time went on, either partially or entirely.  Those of the Moor Row, Sellafield line followed the Furness pattern, but on the Rowrah and Marron Junction Branch, L.N.W.R. standards were followed.  Over the whole section the signal boxes and signals were finally North-Western type and on the single track lines the L.N.W. electric train staff was in use.  The same company's single wire semaphone absolute block instruments were employed.

 

Broadly speaking, the North-Western Company worked the major portion of the passenger trains and supplied all the coaching stock.  The latter were almost entirely of their four or six-wheeled variety.  Beyond Rowrah the L.N.W.R. handled all traffic.  This was not heavy, usually consisting of three passenger trains each way between Whitehaven and Marron Junction, with an additional turn in either direction on Thursday for Whitehaven Market; and a couple of goods turns up and down.  the platform at Marron Junction was later taken out, and all these passenger turns ran to and from Workington. Where a connection was shown from Whitehaven to both the Sellafield and Rowrah lines, the train usually consisted of two portions to Moor Row, where it was split up.

 

Those passenger turns worked by the Furness were usually a couple of trips in each direction as far as Rowrah and to Sellafield.  The same company also worked a series of iron ore miner's specials between the Beckermet Mines and Yeathouse, near Frizington.  Some old Furness six-wheeled coaches were sometimes used for this purpose.

 

Turning to goods and mineral trains, the division of work was broadly as follows:

On the Moor Row-Marron Junction section, the Furness worked all mineral turns which did not proceed beyond Rowrah.  On the Egremont-Sellafield a good deal of iron ore and limestone traffic was worked from the mines and quarries served by the Bigrigg and Beckermet mines mineral branches to the various blast furnace plants in the Workington area.  This traffic was handled by the L. & N.W.R.  There was also a pretty considerable flow of iron ore from mines near Egremont to the furnaces at Millom, Barrow and Ulverston.  This was dealt with by Furness engines.

 

Moore Row shed was the motive power depot which supplied all Furness locomotive power for the Joint Line, and for some of the Cleator and Workington Railway trips as well.  As stated elsewhere, all the Whitehaven, Cleator & Egremont engines taken over and retained by the Furness Company continued to work in the area.  They were supplemented by MR. PETTIGREW'S "Cleator Class" 0-6-2 tanks, a few of his earlier 0-6-0 mineral engines and a rather motley bunch of re-built and un-rebuilt 0-6-0 "Sharpies."  Any of the above engines were also used for work on the C. & W. line.  The passenger turns were first handled by the little 2-4-2 tanks, re-built from the 2-4-0 tender engines, and when these game little chaps were worn out, MR. PETTIGREW'S neat and efficient 0-6-0 shunting tanks replace them.  

 

All the North-Western's share of the work was done by five types of locomotives; the only L.N.W.R. engines that have ever run in the Cleator district.  All were of Webb design.  As far as Rowrah and Sellafield, either 2-4-2 tanks or 0-6-2 "coal tanks" handled passenger turns.  For the longer run through to Workington via "Marron" Junction, 2-4-0 "Jumbo's" were employed.   Among the latter in use just before the grouping were "Marquis Druro," "Skiddaw," "Sir Hardman Earle," and "Merrie Carlisle."

 

Webb 4 ft. 3 in. coal, and "Cauliflower" 0-6-0's handled all goods turns, supplemented by the 0-6-2 coal tanks.

 

As might be expected the volume of mineral traffic fluctuated considerably, especially with the series of slumps in the iron and steel trades between 1880 and 1900.  Given normal trade conditions, the iron ore and limestone tonnage moved over the Cleator lines was very heavy, anything up to half-a dozen booked runs from Egremont to Millom and back being a regular rule.  The traffic handled by the L.N.W. to Workington was on a similar scale.  To this must be added the short-distance ore traffic from mines in the Frizington area to the Whitehaven Haematite Iron Company's furnaces at Cleator Moor.  By 1922, however, the post-war depression period was setting in and a number of mines in the area were closing or being worked out; thus the mineral traffic was considerably reduced.

 

Generally speaking the passenger service to Rowrah and to Sellafield gave an average of five to seven trains each way on weekdays only.  Beyond Rowrah, as already stated, there were three trains in each direction.  There were no Sunday trains on the Joint Lines.

 

With so many severe gradients, it is not surprising that there was a lot of banking on the system.  There were no less than four sections between Whitehaven and Rowrah on which banking was authorised; all but one being in the up direction.  There was also regular banking of heavy goods trains from Sellafield to Beckermet and again from Egremont to Woodend.  The worst climbs were up Corkickle bank, over 1 1/2 miles long, where a Webb 0-6-0 coal engine or Furness "Sharpie" was limited to 187 tons without assistance, and from Frizington to Winder, where this figure fell to 150 tons for the same class of locomotive.  For a standard 0-6-0 Furness mineral engine or a L.N.W. "Cauliflower" the figures were 220 and 175 tons respectively.  All loads were of course doubled when assistance was provided at the rear.

 

In the early part of the present century the London & North-Western Company built a number of 20 ton straight-sided steel hopper iron ore wagons, which were designed specially for the West Cumberland ore traffic.  The story goes that some time after they were put in service, one of these wagons had to be dispatched to Euston to be duly inspected by an admiring directorate.

 

The whole of the former Whitehaven, Cleator & Egremont Railway abounds in sharp curves, some of them beyond Rowrah being as sharp as 16 chains radius.

 

The mineral branches do not cal for any special comment.  On account of the running of workmen's passenger trains over the Beckermet mines branch, which originally belonged to the Workington Iron and Steel Company, the electric train staff system was put into operation between Beckermet Mines Junction and Beckermet No. 1 Mine shortly before the 1923 grouping.  In 1917 a considerable portion of the Gilgarron branch was closed.  Built originally to bring iron ore from the mines in the Lamplugh and Frizington area down to the blast furnaces at Distington, the branch joined the Cleator & Workington Railway at Distington Station and then immediately branched off again beyond.  From this point it proceeded down the valley to join the Whitehaven-Workington line of the L.N.W.R. at Parton.  Before reaching Parton a short spur ran up to the Lowca colliery and coke oven plant.  The Gilgarron branch left the Rowrah-Marron Junction line at Ullock Junction and was 7 miles 32 chains long.  It also served Wythemoor colliery, between Ullock Junction and Distington.

 

The working out of Wythemoore colliery was one reason for the closing of the section between Ullock Junction and Distington Ironworks.  The latter were no worse off, as iron ore could still reach them just as conveniently from the same area via the Cleator & Workington mineral branch for Rowrah, via Arlecdon and Oatlands.  Originally the sector of the line from Distington to Parton was used for pig iron traffic from Distington to Whitehaven Dock for shipment, but by the end of the 1914-1918 War this line of business had practically ceased and the only regular booked turns on the branch were from Parton up to the spur tapping Lowca colliery and by-product plant.  There were also a number of collier's trains which technically used the line, since they ran from Whitehaven to a special "halt" platform which was about 100 yards up the branch off the main line.  This meagre traffic was worked by the L.N.W.R.  It is believed that some Furness turns were worked over the northern section of the Gilgarron branch in its earlier days.

 

Before closing this chapter on the Joint Railways operated by the Furness Company, some mention must be made of the Furness-Midland Joint Line from Carnforth to Wennington Junction.  This was opened in 1867 and, as stated in Chapter V, was 9 miles and 50 chains long.  Its original purpose was to give the Midland Railway access to the sea at Piel, and later Barrow.  Although the stations on the branch were built on the Furness pattern, the company never ran anything more than a ballast train over it.  They were responsible for the maintenance of the track, but after that they left matters to the Midland who ran all the trains and had their own engine shed at Carnforth.  The signal boxes and signals were all of Midland pattern.  The "Little North-Western," as it was originally called, made an end-on junction with the Furness, via what was known as "the Furness and Midland curve."  This enabled the Barrow boat trains and through goods turns to avoid running into Carnforth station and having to reverse.  There was also a line running into Carnforth station where it terminated in a bay platform alongside the Furness one.

 

In the later part of the 1`9th century, before the Midland Company developed their own port at Heysham, and their co-operation with the Furness Railway was at tits height, as many as a dozen passenger trains were run in each direction between Wennington and Carnforth.  Later this number was halved.

 

Throughout its existence, the Furness and Midland Joint Railway has been a useful route for mineral and goods Traffic between the industrial areas of Yorkshire and Furness.  There are a number of short sharp gradients around the 1 in 100 mark, the steepest bit being 38 chains of 1 in 95 between Carnforth and Borwick.  Melling tunnel is 1,230 yards long.  The intermediate stations, from Carnforth to Wennington, are Borwick, Arkholme and Melling.

 

to be con't

 

 

Susan   

 

 

[Susan Bergeron]

FURNESS RAILWAY IT'S RISE AND DEVELOPMENT 1846 - 1923

 

CHAPTER XIV.

 

THE CLEATOR AND WORKINGTON RAILWAY.

 

No history of the Furness Railway would be complete without reference to the little company on West Cumberland for which the Furness Railway supplied most of the locomotive power, all the passenger services and a large proportion of the goods workings as well.  This was the Cleator & Workington Railway.

 

The circumstances leading up to the inauguration of the C. & W. are interesting.  It will be recalled that during the early 1870's the Whitehaven, Cleator & Egremont Railway advanced their carrying charges.  The L. & N. W. R. did the same, and the Furness followed suit.  Not unnaturally the local traders, particularly the ironmasters, were up in arms..  Probably the railways expected this, but thought they needn't worry since they had a monopoly of the local rail facilities anyway.  However they underestimated the spirit of the West Cumberland business men, and also the extreme enmity with which the London & North-Western Company had come to be regarded in the district.  Euston of course made a much deeper penetration into the industrial area of Cumberland when the Whitehaven, Cleator & Egremont Railway had responded so quickly to its overtures in 1878, although the spoils were finally shared with the Furness Railway when the joint control of the W. C. & E. R. was finally settled in 1879.

 

The leading lights in the revolt against "the tyranny of Euston" were the Earls of Lonsdale and Leconfield and MR. H. F. CURWEN of Workington.  These three gentlemen whipped up public opinion and got willing support for a scheme to build their own railway from Cleator Moor to Workington and on to Maryport.  This was in 1874.  A Bill of this purpose was presented to Parliament the following year and came before the Select Committee on March 16th, 1875.  About this time, the following commentary on the sins of the North-Western Company in West Cumberland appeared in the local press:

 

"The history of the L. N. W. R. in the district proves how extremely undesirable it is that the public should be placed at the mercy of a body of men whose only aim appears to be to get as much as they can and give as little as possible in return.  No sooner did the company get possession of the Whitehaven Junction and the Cockermouth and Workington Railways than the rates for season tickets were "revised," which at Euston usually means "increased."  In a short time there was another revision of season tickets rate.  The North-Eastern Railway had a driver's strike for a pay increase: there was none on the L. & N. W. R. but the N.E.R. strike was taken as a pretext for a rate increases on return tickets.

 

"In 1872, when the iron and coal trades were at their peak, carrying rates were nearly doubled.  Now trade is depressed, but the high rates remain.  As for the traveling public, they have been humbugged to all intents and purposes, and rickety carriages, condemned for the main line, are considered good enough for West Cumberland.

 

"Unpunctuality, defective management, high fares, exorbitant rates for traffic, scarcity  of rolling stock and 2nd class passengers treated as so much rubbish-these are the leading features of L. & N. W. R. policy in West Cumberland.  But the North-Western is not the only sinner, in respect of excessive rates.  Both the Whitehaven, Cleator & Egremont and the Furness Railways are as deep in the mud as in the mire.  The West Cumberland Blast Furnaces have to pay £ 9,000 more than a similar company in South Wales for hauling the same traffic over the same distance."

 

The writer of this pungent commentary went on to refer to the proposed new railway and said: -

"Of course the new line will be opposed tooth and nail, but Parliament will judge the Bill on its merits."

 

This is precisely what Parliament did do, and in spite of a very lengthy hearing, during which the representatives of both the L. & N. W. and Furness Railways put up a hard fight against their proposed new rival in the Cleator District, the Bill was approved.

 

On October 8th, 1875, a meeting of protest against the North-Western rates was held at Workington and it was announced that the route to be followed by the C. & W. would be from Cleator Moor, via Keekle and Weddicar to Moss Bay and Workington, and thence to Siddick and Maryport.

 

The company was incorporated in June, 1876, and the construction of the line by Messrs. WARD, the contractors, was commenced from Cleator Moor to Workington, with branches to Moss Bay and Harrington Ironworks.

 

By an Act, dated June 28th, 1877, the Furness Railway Company was empowered to work the Cleator & Workington line and should the latter company at any time decide to transfer ownership to any other concern, the Furness were entitled to have the option over all other parties.  By a further Act, dated July 21st, 1879, the Furness were empowered to buy shares in the C. & W. 

 

A branch from Distington to Rowrah, 6 1/2 miles long, was authorised in July, 1878, and a short line into Distington Ironworks was made three years later.  Powers were also obtained in 1883 to extend from Workington to Brayton (on the Maryport and Carlisle Line,) a distance of 15 3/4 miles, but this line was only constructed as far as Linefoot Junction on the Bullgill-Brigham branch of the M. & C. R.  In 1886 the powers to extend to Brayton were abandoned, connection with the main line to Carlisle being made at Siddick Junction (the first station north of Workington) instead.  Eventually, the section of the Northern Extension to Linefoot was abandoned beyond Buckhill Colliery, a distance of two miles.

 

In its final form the Cleator & Workington Railway consisted of the main line from Cleator Moor Junction to Siddick Junction (11 1/2 miles); and the Harrington mineral branch (2 3/4 miles.)  There were also three other short mineral lines:  The Moss Bay and Derwent Ironworks branches, just over a mile long apiece and a portion ( 1 1/2 miles) of the 3 1/22 mile long Lowca mineral branch from Harrington Junction to Rosehill Junction.  

 

From the latter point to Lowca Colliery and By-product Plant the track was the property of the Workington Iron and Steel Company ( later a branch of the United Steel Company.)  All the branches mentioned were single track and were worked by electric tablet, except those to the Moss Bay and Derwent Ironworks, which were operated by train staff and ticket.

 

Since it ran through a hilly part of West Cumberland, the gradients on the C. & W. were numberous and severe. Starting from Cleator Moor Junction, where the main line diverged from the Joint Line from Moor Row to Rowrah, there is a short stretch of 1 in 284, followed by nearly one mile of 1 in 72 and a further 1 1/2 miles of 1 in 70 to Moresby Parks.

 

After a short portion of the level, the track falls steeply, with several severe curves, down to Distington, just over 3 miles from Moresby Parks.  The ruling gradient is again 1 in 70, with curves of 22 chains radius.  The same gradient persists right down to Workington (Central,)  futher 3 miles.  The intermediate stations between Moor Row Junction were Cleator Moor (C. & W.); Moresby Parks, Distington, and Harrington.  There was also a :halt" platform at Keekle, between Cleator Moor and Moresby Parks, for the benefit of miners from that village who worked at Moresby Colliery.

 

On the Northern Extension there is a practically continuous climb at 1 in 70 from Calva Junction for over 2 miles, broken only by a short lenght of 1 in 150 just before Seaton.  The latter was the only passenger station on the line, apart from Great Broughton, on the abandoned section between Buckhill Colliery and Linefoot.

 

The severe gradients on the C. & W. reached their climax on the Distington-Rawrah branch, which was constructed mainly to link up at Rowrah with a little mineral railway which ran up into the hills close to the northern approaches to Ennerdale Lake.  Entitled the Rowrah & Keneonhead Mineral Railway, it was built by the Scottish iron firm of BAIRD Ltd., and served a number of iron ore mines.  On this account, the Distington-Rawrah branch of the C. & W. was always known as "Baird's Line."  It was taken up, except for the portion between Arlecdon and Rowrah, in 1939.

 

Leaving the main line at Rowrah Branch Junction, at the foot of the incline down from Moresby Parks to Distington, the branch commenced with a short length of 1 in 70 with two curves, one of 10 chains and the other of 15 chains radius.  This was followed by just over 2 miles of 1 in 44, plentifully interspersed with sharp curves up to Oatlands.  Here there was a colliery (now closed) and a small station.  The latter served the nearby mining village of Pica.  After a brief stretch of 1 in 990 there was a mile of 1 in 52 to the summit of the branch, which is about 600 feet above sea-level-the highest point on the C. & W. at 1 in 60 and crosses the "dip" on a high embankment which has a curve of 14 chains radius.  This was always known as "Brownrigg's Curve."  There is still the eastern side of the valley to be negotiated, so up climbs the track once more on a gradient of 1 in 64 for nearly a mile, before the final run down through Arlecdon to Rowrah.  Shortly after leaving Distington, and again before reaching the second summit before Arlecdon, there are some quite deep rock cuttings.

 

To celebrate the completion of the line to Workington a dinner was given on October 18th, 1879, at the Assembly Rooms, in Workington.  the Chairman (MR. H.F. CURWEN) made a lengthy speech at this function in which he referred in the following terms to the working agreement with the Furness Railway:

 

" The working arrangement was advantageous to both sides.  the Furness, having their rolling stock and locomotives in the district (at Moor Row,)  would work the railway more cheaply than themselves, and so give them an interest in the development of the traffic which they had the means of turning to their own benefit, because it was by the Furness Railway that they would get access to the Midland and the railways connected with it (cheers.)  He had no doubt that the Furness would carry out the arrangement in a fair spirit, and that they would, as they were bound to do under the agreement, avail themselves of the power and authority which the agreement gave them to the benefit of the Company and themselves as well."

 

Continuing, MR. CURWEN said:

" There is just one hint I would like to let fall in the presence of MR. COOK (The Furness Secretary,)  and that is that they might afford us the use of more modern coaches than those in which I have had to travel during the past fortnight (loud cheers and laughter.)

 

"I noticed one coach labelled 'F.R. No. J.'  As the Furness Railway was constituted in about the year 1800 (!!), it is quite clear that this being the fourth carriage, it must be nearly 80 years old (laughter.)  I had one satisfaction in contemplating this carriage and that was that it is quite evident that since the time when it was constructed the people of Cumberland must have considerably increased in bulk, as the door of this particular coach was so narrow that I had to enter it sideways (loud laughter.)  I throw out these friendly hints for MR. COOK'S consideration and I am glad to see that he is making a note of them while I speak."

 

Concluding his speech, MR. CURWEN said their agreement with the Furness was "for better or for worse" and he hoped that there would never need to be an appeal for "restitution of conjugal rights."  He then proposed the health of the Working Company - The Furness Railway.

 

On behalf of the London & North-Western Railway, MR. BEDFORD made a friendly speech and the whole proceedings went off well.

 

Although there was an improvement in the passenger stock provided by the Furness compared with that which drew such uncomplimentary remarks from MR. CURWEN when the line to Workington was opened, the C. & W. rarely saw anything better than 6-wheeled stock.  Of course the passenger traffic was a very secondary consideration and rarely consisted of more than five or six trains each way between Moor Row and Siddick Junction.  A service was also run on Saturdays and Market Days for Workington to Seaton and from Distington to Oatlands Colliery Halt ( for Pica mining village) and Arlecdon on the Rowrah afternoon and an early and late evening trip back.  Miner's trains were also run up the Harrington mineral line and long the private track leading to the Lowca Colliery and By-Product Plant of the Workington Iron and Steel Co. (later the United Steel Company.)  The regular passenger trains on the main line were usually worked by the little 2-4-2 Furness tanks which had been re-built from the 2-4-0 tender engines of the '80's.  In the very early days some of the 2-2-2 well tanks were employed.  Towards 1922, when the 2-4-2 tanks were worn out, a couple of MR. Pettigrew's 0-6-0 tanks did the job, assisted by one of the 4-4-2 passenger tank engines.

 

Mineral traffic was shared between a number of the ex-W.C. & E. saddle-tanks; one or two "Neddies"; and a number of re-built and un-rebuilt "Sharpie" 0-6-0's.  Latterly both versions of MR. PETTIGREW'S "Cleator" 0-6-2 tanks did a lot of work on the system.

 

On the whole the Cleator & Workington's own engines worked mostly at the northern end of the line and on the branches to Moss Bay and Harrington Ironworks.  They were briefly described later in this chapter.

 

So long as the iron and coal trades were brisk, the line carried a heavy volume of traffic.  It served a number of industrial concerns.  All the Durham coke for the blast furnaces of Whitehaven Haematitie Iron Company at Cleator Moor was brought from Siddick or Workington, and to Distington Iron Company's plant as well.  There was also the pig iron from both these works to be dealt with.  The railway also carried all the output from the Moresby colliery, and from pits at Broughton Moor, beyond Seaton on the Northern Extension Line.  The branches leading to the ironworks at Moss Bay and Harrington fed both iron ore and limestone into the plants, and coke produced locally at Lowca.  On the mineral branch from Distington to Rowrah, via Oatlands and Arlecdon, there was a steady traffic in limestone and iron ore from the pits and quarries between Frizington and Lamplugh.

 

During the 1914-1918 War some unusual ( and what to-day would be regarded as quite unorthodox) methods of train working from Distington up to Moresby Parks were in forced.  In order to cope with the heavy traffic it was customary to couple two goods trains together, when one was working through to Moor Row and the other to Moresby Colliery Sidings.  A bank engine was then attached at the rear.  Thus the train engine of the load for Moresby Park was also the banker for the Moor Row engine.  No definite limit seems to have been set to train loadings on rising gradients, provided the necessary banking power was available.  Similar workings were in force from Cleator Moor.  The writer recalls seeing a remarkable train proceeding up the incline to Moresby Parks from the south, somewhere around the year 1918.  There were two complete trains coupled together.  At the head was an exW.C. & E. 0-6-0 saddle tank.  Banking this engine's load, and hauling a long train behind it was a "Sharpie" 0-6-0.  Finally at the rear were TWO banking locomotives: a 0-6-0 "Neddie" tank and another ex -W.C. & E. saddle tank engine.  Unfortunately, no record was made of the total number of wagons which made up this remarkable load, but it must have been pretty considerable.

 

Apparently the authorities were much more stringent about maximum loads on falling gradients, in case of any possible break-away.  The most powerful Furness engines (with 18" cylinders,)  were limited to 45 loaded, 65 empties and 50 coke wagons.  The smaller engines were restricted to 35 loaded and 50 empty wagons of any description.  A single banked load was not allowed to exceed 65 empties.  These limits were for gradients in excess of 1 in 70.

 

There were no Sunday trains on the Cleator & Workington Railway, except on the Lowca and Derwent Works branches and these were worked by the Lowca Colliery engines.  They consisted of a couple of workmen's passenger trains and some coal and coke trips from Lowca to the Derwent blast furnaces.

 

Since the C. & W. was built primarily as a mineral carrying railway the permanent way was substantial, the rails being 88 lbs. to the yard.

 

The Furness engines working on the line were mostly stationed at Moor Row shed, but there were a number at Workington (Central,)  where most of the engines owned by the company were also stabled.  The latter were all saddle tanks (0-6-0's,)  very similar in design to those supplied to the Whitehaven, Cleator & Egremont Railway.  The first batch were built by Stephenson's and all had 4 ft. wheels; 16 in. cylinders, and 140 lbs. pressure.  They all bore names, mostly of the residences of the various directors of the company.  In 1922 the C.& W. owned 10 engines, the last three being supplied by PECKETT'S of Bristol (2) and E. B. WILSON'S of Leeds (1).  They were named respectively "Hutton Hall," "Millgrove" and "Skiddaw Lodge."  They were almost entirely confined to duties on the mineral branches round Workington.  "Hutton Hall" and "Millgrove" had cylinders 18x24 ins., wheels 4 ft. 6 ins. dia.  and a wheelbase of 14 feet.  their saddle tanks held 1,400 gallons of water and their weight was 50 1/2 tons in working order.

 

In addition to Moor Row shed, there was one at Workington (Central) and Siddick Junction.  The former was a small two-locomotive affair.  Both were built to the standard Furness pattern.

 

As already stated, the Furness supplied all the coaching stock for the C. & W., and most of the remaining rolling stock as well.  The principal exception was a type of high-sided mineral wagon, with a carrying capacity of 12 or 15 tons, which could be used for carrying iron ore, coal and coke.  Stock of this type was painted dark red with "C. & W." painted in large white letters on the sides.  There were also a number of 10 ton wagons with wooden buffer stops.

 

In the year after the end of the 1914-1918 War, the issued capital of the Cleator & Workington Railway was £551,910, of which £ 260,010 was Ordinary Stock.

 

At the Annual Meeting in 1917 the Chairman (Sir John Ainsworth) said he looked forward to the day when all the small railways in West Cumberland would be amalgamated, and in 1919 it was rumoured that the United Steel Company were anxious to obtain the bulk of the Ordinary Shares.  An offer of £80 per £100 of the stock was made to the shareholders about this time, the last official quotation in 1918 being £50.  In 1919 the number of passengers carried was 644,835 and the amount of goods and minerals was 804,538 tons.

 

Both these figures were for traffic originating on the system.  Loaded goods train mileage and shunting mileage was almost exactly the same; just under 29,000 miles.

 

From the beginning of the present century the dividends paid were remarkably consistent, never falling below 3% or rising above 4 1/2%.  The average annual income was around £ 25,000 (net.)

 

The following is a list of the ten locomotives owned by the C. & W. at the end of 1922:

 

1     Rothersyke          0-4-0T     Fletcher, Jennings     No. 1 and 2 were

2     Ennerdale           0-4-0ST   Barclay                      contractor's locomotives taken over by the C. & W.R.

3     Brigham Hill        0-6-0ST  Stephenson                Built 1894

4     South Lodge          do             do                         Built 1884

5     Moresby Hall          do             do                         Built 1890

6     Ponsonby Hall        do             do                         Built 1896

7     Haycroft                  do       Fletcher, Jennings     Taken over by the United Steel Co.

8     Hutton Hall              do       Peckett                       Built 1907

9     Millgrove                 do              do                         Built 1913

10    Skiddaw Lodge      do       E. B. Wilson

 

No. 1, "Rotherskye," was a side tank and like No. , "Haycroft," was built locally at the Lowca Foundry of MESSRS. FLETCHER, JENNINGS and Company.

 

All engines carried their name-plates, with raised brass letters, on the tank sides and the number on an oval brass plate on the sides of the cab.  The domes were of polished brass.  Like the locomotives of the W. C. & E. R. all C. & W. engines were fitted with two sets of buffers for dealing with wagons having wooden buffer stops and those of the chaldron type.

 

 

                                                                      CONCLUSION.

 

As already stated, it is beyond the scope of this book to go into any detail about the course of events on the Furness system after this absorption into the London Midland & Scottish Railway in 1923.  I am only one among many natives of the territory which the Furness served who feel that the area gained little by the Grouping.  In all fairness however it must be stated that the L.M. & S. R. were to experience a long period of trade depression which culminated in a large portion of the ex-F.R. territory being scheduled as a "Distressed Area;"  thus a policy of "economy and re-trenchment" was bound to come sooner or later.

 

Ever since the last war, the iron trade in Furness and West Cumberland has declined steadily.  Many mines in both districts have been worked out and others closed down as uneconomical.  In 1919, between Carnforth and Workington, there were no less than eleven blast furnace plants in active production: to-day there are only four.

 

Bus competition also became sever in the late 20's and was most keenly felt by the railway in the Cleator District where many of the stations were some distance from the villages and townships which they served.  The result was the closing to passenger traffic of the whole of the Cleator & Workington system and the Joint Line from Moor Row to Marron Junction in April, 1931.  Before long the line to Egremont and Sellafield followed suit (in January, 1935,)  and the branch from Barrow to Rampside and Piel as well.

 

Of the closed lines, the following mineral branches have been taken up: The whole of the Gilgarron branch, except for that portion between Parton and Lowca Colliery sidings; "Baird's Line" ( from Distington to Rowrah Junction)  and that portion of the W. & W. Northern Extension beyond Buckhill Colliery.

 

North of Barrow, the direct line into the iron and steelworks of the Barrow Haematite Steel Company was abandoned by taking out the junction at Hindpool.  Traffic for the works from the north since then has had to be worked round via Barrow Central and St. Luke's Junction.

 

For a time the passenger service on the Lakeside Branch was withdrawn, but nowadays (apart from the period of the World War)  it has been re-instituted as a summer service only in connection with the Windermere Lake steamers.  Since 1940 the passenger trains were also cancelled on the Arnside-Hindcaster branch, but doubtless these will be re-instated when normality returns.

 

Another more cheerful sign is the restoration after nearly 15 years, of a passenger service on a portion of the West Cumberland Joint Line - between Moor Row, Egremont and Sellafield.  Put on again mainly as a result of continued local agitation, it gives this area some measure of direct communication with the south.

 

But there are already signs that the territory of the old Furness Railway is staging a modest but steady industrial "come-back."  This is all the more satisfactory when it becomes evident that the revival is not due to the resuscitation of the heavy industries, but rather to new and varied ones which should bring permanent prosperity to a hard-hit district.  Doubtless the L. M. & S. R. Will realise this fact in due course and the railway traveller between Carnforth and Whitehaven will get the facilities which he deserves, whether he be on business or pleasure bent.  Meanwhile, all honour to the work started by "Old Coppernob" and her sisters in 1846 and culminating in the "swansong" of the big "jumbos" produced by MR. Rutherford in 1920.

 

 

THE END

 

 

Susan

     

      

 

 

[ANNNEW...@aol.com]

In a message dated 9/25/2007 7:40:19 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, rambli...@colosseum.com writes:

THE END

 

 

Susan

Thank you for transcribing that for us Susan.

 

Ann

---

See what's new at AOL.com and Make AOL Your Homepage.

[Diane Moore]

Yes, thank you Susan.  That was a lot of typing!

 

Di