Whitehaven Junction Railway

Introduction

This line is open. It runs down the west coast of Cumbria, connecting Maryport to Workington to Whitehaven and serving several iron and steel works and docks en route. After severe damage to roadbridges in the area by the flooded River Derwent a temporary bridge was erected at Workington North and a ticketless cross-Workington service (actually Workington to Maryport) instituted by the Network Rail, the council and Direct Rail Services.





Dates

  /  /1847Whitehaven Junction Railway
Opened from Maryport to Whitehaven Bransty.
31/12/1850Railway Clearing House
By this date, Ardrossan Railway, Caledonian Railway, Cockermouth and Workington Railway, Eastern Counties Railway, East Lincolnshire Railway, Fleetwood, Preston and West Riding Junction Railway, Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway, Great Northern Railway, Huddersfield and Manchester Railway (London and North Western Railway), Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway, Maryport and Carlisle Railway, North British Railway, Preston and Wyre Railway, Dock and Harbour, Shrewsbury and Chester Railway, South Staffordshire Railway, Stockton and Darlington Railway, Stockton and Hartlepool Railway, St Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway, Stirling and Dunfermline Railway, Whitehaven Junction Railway and York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway join.
20/11/2009Whitehaven Junction Railway
Northside Bridge (A597) is washed away, leading to the opening of temporary station Workington North.
24/11/2009Whitehaven Junction Railway
Construction of Workington North, a temporary station, begins.
30/11/2009Whitehaven Junction Railway
Workington North opens, a temporary station opened to connect the north and south of Workington after the loss of the Derwent Road Bridge (A597) due to floodwater. (The nearby harbour railway bridge was severely damaged.) Shuttle trains were operated by Direct Rail Services (DRS) between Workington and Maryport - starting before the new station on the 27th. Travel was free.
20/04/2010Whitehaven Junction Railway
Replacement Northside Bridge (A597) opened.
28/05/2010Whitehaven Junction Railway
Shuttle trains between Workington and Maryport withdrawn.

Portions of line and locations

This line is divided into a number of portions.


Maryport to Whitehaven



A class 60 draws its train through the rapid loading bunker at Maryport in 1992. In November 2019, approval was given to a new deep coal mine in the ...
Bill Roberton //1992
1 of 1 images.






Flimby southbound platform, seen from a northbound service in January 2018. ...
John McIntyre 26/01/2018
The modest beachside facilities at Flimby looking north in 1998. ...
Ewan Crawford //1998
A sunny day at Flimby on the Cumbrian Coast in March 2018 with clear views to the hills around Dalbeattie across the Solway. The Carlisle platform has ...
Mark Bartlett 09/03/2018
3 of 3 images.




This station on the Whitehaven Junction Railway was the junction for the Cleator and Workington Junction Railway. It was a three platform station, two on the Whitehaven, served by both main line and branch, and a third on the east side only served from the branch making this an exchange station.
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See also
Cleator and Workington Junction Railway
OK - pick a window...!! Deltic 55022 skirts the Cumbrian Coast approaching Siddick with the Western and Eastern Coastal Express railtour ...
John McIntyre 30/08/2010
1 of 1 images.




Also known as Workington Haematite Iron Works. This was located on the west side of the Whitehaven Junction Railway just north of Lonsdale Dock and the River Derwent. Despite the name, this was principally an iron works.
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This was a temporary station opened after the 2009 floods which swept away the road bridges in Workington. The station was served by a shuttle train service operated by DRS which ran from Workington to Maryport serving the station in between.
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What do you mean Heath Robinson? This footbridge is a masterpiece! ...
Ewan Crawford 01/02/2010
At 17.05 the Workington - Maryport shuttle pauses at Workington North (temporary) station. This station is to the south of the former Siddick ...
Ewan Crawford 01/02/2010
37423 enters Workington North (temporary station) with the up Maryport-Workington shuttle on 1 February 2010. This is a half hourly service. The ...
Ewan Crawford 01/02/2010
3 of 3 images.


Siddick Bridge after demolition. ...
Network Rail //2021
Drone shot of the existing bridge, just north of Derwent Junction, serving the Port of Workington. ...
Network Rail //2020
Looking south at Derwent Junction. Workington Docks line to right, Workington station in distance. A train consisting of a two carriage and single ...
Ewan Crawford 27/09/2006
3 of 3 images.


Northern Trains Sprinters 156443 (L) and 156449 (R) stabled in the south end down bay sidings at Workington station on 12 July 2023. Viewed from the ...
David Pesterfield 12/07/2023
Workington (formerly Workington Main), taken from the 11.07 Carlisle to Barrow Sprinter 156451 on 30th June 2021. This was supposed to be a jolly tour ...
Gordon Steel 30/06/2021
View across the running lines in July 1986 to Workington Main No 3 signal box. ...
Ian Dinmore /07/1986
The booking office at Workington, and the station forecourt, have been refurbished and now look pristine as seen here on 9th March 2018. ...
Mark Bartlett 09/03/2018
4 of 21 images. more


This was a considerable shed, latterly of 12 roads, south of Workington station on the east side of the line and served from the south.
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Fowler 3F 0-6-0s 47290 and 47593 stand together out of use in the shed yard at Workington in September 1962. ...
K A Gray 22/09/1962
LMS Jinty 0-6-0T 47593 stands amongst the weekend guests on Workington shed on Saturday 22 September 1962. A long term resident of 12D, the ...
K A Gray 22/09/1962
A siding containing withdrawn steam locomotives alongside Workington shed in September 1962. Fowler 3F 0-6-0s 47290 and 47593 are amongst the former ...
K A Gray 22/09/1962
Fowler 4F no 44390 is one of a number of locomotives standing in the shed yard at Workington on Saturday 22 September 1962. ...
K A Gray 22/09/1962
4 of 6 images. more




This is a two platform station. The station retains a lattice footbridge of unusual design, either end of the girder crossing the tracks being supported by brick pillars. The main station building had been on the southbound platform, alongside today's carpark, with a smaller building on the northbound.
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The station with a hump, well Harrington was where the hump was developed to save having to raise the whole platform to allow better access to the ...
John McIntyre 26/01/2018
156448, working from Barrow to Carlisle, stands alongside one of the original Harrington Humps at the station of the same name. Still not exactly ...
Mark Bartlett 13/11/2017
Harrington Humps are now used at smaller stations with low platforms across the UK network but this is where they were first installed. This ...
Mark Bartlett 13/11/2017
The impressive curving viaduct at Harrington, looking south from the landward side on 13th November 2017. The structure was extensively rebuilt in ...
Mark Bartlett 13/11/2017
4 of 7 images. more




The southbound platform at Parton viewed from a northbound service on 26 January 2018. Facilities for the passenger are basic but it does have a ...
John McIntyre 26/01/2018
153301 is on the rear of a two-car set as it departs Parton heading for Carlisle on 13th November 2017. You can see by how much of the train ...
Mark Bartlett 13/11/2017
37401 propels the 2C34 Carlisle to Barrow service off the single line coastal section between Parton and Whitehaven on 13th November 2017. The ...
Mark Bartlett 13/11/2017
The line between Parton and Harrington has the Irish Sea on one side and crumbling cliffs on the other. Part of this stretch was reduced to single ...
Mark Bartlett 13/11/2017
4 of 9 images. more






Bransty signal box at Whitehaven is some distance from the station, and set back from the tracks, so the tokens for the single line to St. Bees are ...
Mark Bartlett 19/04/2023
37402 waits patiently with the late running Barrow to Carlisle service at Whitehaven on 28 January 2018. The cause of the late running was nothing to ...
John McIntyre 26/01/2018
Nowadays the LNWR style cabin at Whitehaven (Bransty) only controls a limited number of signals and points in the station area but it has also gained ...
Mark Bartlett 13/11/2017
37401 pauses at Whitehaven on 13th November 2017. The train is the 1140hrs 2C49 Barrow to Carlisle service, the second of three northbound trips for ...
Mark Bartlett 13/11/2017
4 of 13 images. more







Maryport Harbour Branch












Lonsdale Dock Branch

Siddick Bridge after demolition. ...
Network Rail //2021
Drone shot of the existing bridge, just north of Derwent Junction, serving the Port of Workington. ...
Network Rail //2020
Looking south at Derwent Junction. Workington Docks line to right, Workington station in distance. A train consisting of a two carriage and single ...
Ewan Crawford 27/09/2006
3 of 3 images.




Wagons with rails being shunted in Workington Docks. Sadly the steelworks has closed. ...
Ewan Crawford 27/09/2006
The damaged railway bridge in Workington Harbour viewed from the south bank. See image 11537 ...
Ewan Crawford /02/2010
A Hunslet locomotive shunts some of the last rails made in Workington at the Workington Docks in September 2006. ...
Ewan Crawford 27/09/2006
This bridge is on the north to west curve of the triangle of lines in the docks area. Sadly whilst the mainline bridge has survived intact this one ...
Ewan Crawford 01/02/2010
4 of 5 images. more