Branthwaite railway station

Branthwaite railway station was built by the Whitehaven, Cleator and Egremont Railway. It served the village of Branthwaite, Cumbria, England.[2][3]

Branthwaite
Remains of the station looking north, in 1961
LocationBranthwaite, Allerdale
England
Coordinates54.6125°N 3.4582°W / 54.6125; -3.4582
Grid referenceNY059251
Platforms2
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companyWhitehaven, Cleator and Egremont Railway
Pre-groupingLNWR & FR Joint Railway
Post-groupingLondon, Midland and Scottish Railway
Key dates
2 April 1866Opened
13 April 1931Closed[1]

History

The station opened on 2 April 1866. The owning company was taken over by the LNWR and Furness Railway in 1879 as a Joint Line, whereafter the northern section through Branthwaite was usually worked by the LNWR.[4]

Passenger traffic consisted of three trains a day in each direction, with an extra on Whitehaven market day and none on Sundays.[5] From opening, northbound passenger trains terminated at Marron Junction station where passengers changed for destinations beyond. In 1897 Marron Junction station closed, with trains running west through to Workington Main thereafter, a much better arrangement for most passengers. Passengers who would otherwise have changed at Marron Junction to head east to Brigham or beyond simply changed at the first stop after Marron Junction - Camerton.

Goods traffic typically consisted of a two daily turns Up and Down.

Mineral traffic was the dominant flow, typically six loaded and six empty through to Workington, though this was subject to considerable fluctuation with trade cycles. Stations and signalling along the line north of Rowrah were changed during the Joint regime to conform to LNWR standards.[6][7]

The station closed on 13 April 1931 when normal passenger traffic ended along the line. Goods trains continued to pass through the station until 1954.[8] An enthusiasts' special ran through on 5 September 1954. After scant occasional use the line was abandoned in 1960 and subsequently lifted.

Afterlife

In 2013 the course of the line through the village was clear to see and the trackbed.

Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
Bridgefoot
Line and station closed		   Whitehaven, Cleator and Egremont Railway   Ullock
Line and station closed

See also

References
  1. Butt 1995, p. 42.
  2. Smith & Turner 2012, Map 26.
  3. Jowett 1989, Map 36.
  4. McGowan Gradon 2004, p. 12.
  5. Bradshaw 1985, p. 510.
  6. "W McGowan Gradon's 1942 Furness Railway study, via cumberlandarchives.co.uk". Archived from the original on 26 January 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  7. Atterbury 2009, p. 207.
  8. Marshall 1981, p. 163.

Sources

Further reading
  • Conolly, W Philip (1998). British railways pre-grouping atlas and gazetteer (9th impression; 5th ed.). Shepperton: Ian Allan. ISBN 978-0-7110-0320-0. OCLC 221481275.
  • Anderson, Paul (April 2002). Hawkins, Chris (ed.). "Dog in the Manger? The Track of the Ironmasters". British Railways Illustrated. Clophill: Irwell Press Ltd. 11 (7). ISSN 0961-8244.
  • Bairstow, Martin (April 1995). Railways In The Lake District. Martin Bairstow. ISBN 978-1-871944-11-2.
  • Joy, David (December 1983). Lake Counties (Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain, Volume 14). Newton Abbot: David and Charles. ISBN 978-0-946537-02-0.
  • Suggitt, Gordon (2008). Lost Railways of Cumbria (Railway Series). Newbury: Countryside Books. ISBN 978-1-84674-107-4.
  • Western, Robert (2001). The Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith Railway. Usk: Oakwood Press. ISBN 978-0-85361-564-4. OL113.
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