TheUlverstone [sic][i]and Lancaster Railway Company was short-lived as a business but the line that it built is still in daily use as part of theFurness line. The line runs fromLindal-in-Furness toCarnforth where it joins what was then theLancaster and Carlisle Railway. The intermediate stations are:Cark and Cartmel,Kents Bank,Grange-over-Sands,Arnside andSilverdale.
In August 1837George Stephenson, considering the route fromLancaster toCarlisle and thence to Scotland, proposed a curved embankment acrossMorecambe Bay betweenPoulton-le-Sands (Morecambe) andHumphrey Head, then following the coast northwards. He was concerned that an inland route over the fells would involve dangerously steep slopes. He saw the viaduct as a national project and he intended that it would trap the silt in order to claim Morecambe Bay for agriculture.[2] In 1843, after considerable debate, this plan was shelved in favour of the presentShap Fell route.[3]
Consequently, Furness, instead of finding the main line on its doorstep, had to make its own arrangements to join its local rail network to the national one. Any short connection southwards would necessarily involve a locally financed crossing of Morecambe Bay and this was a daunting prospect — the quicksands and fierce tides of the bay are still notorious. The2004 Morecambe Bay cockling disaster reminded many people of the dangers. Nevertheless the iron miners needed a good connection in order to make their product competitive. The directors of theFurness Railway were not in a hurry to take it on so it was promoted byJohn Brogden and Sons, aManchester-based firm of railway contractors and promoters who had expanded into iron mining activity in the Furness area.[4]
| Ulverstone and Lancaster Railway Act 1851 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
.svg) | |
| Long title | An Act for making a Railway from the Furness Railway at Ulverstone to the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway at Carnforth, to be called "The Ulverstone and Lancaster Railway." |
| Citation | 14 & 15 Vict. c. cii |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 24 July 1851 |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
TheUlverstone and Lancaster Railway Act 1851 (14 & 15 Vict. c. cii) receivedroyal assent on 24 July 1851.[5] The directors were:John Brogden (sen.),John Brogden (jun.),Alexander Brogden,Henry Brogden, James Garstang (Alexander’s father-in-law) andJoseph Paxton (later Sir Joseph).,[6] but Richardson[5] has John, John, William Gale and Paxton. The line was planned byMcClean and Stileman at 19 miles (31 km) in length of which ten miles comprised embankments, and viaducts across the tidal estuaries of the riversKent andLeven. Much of this was sand running to a depth of 30 to 70 feet (10 to 20 m).[4][7][8]
Work on the line was not in full progress until September 1853 owing to shortages of labour and accommodation. McClean and Stileman had resigned as engineers the previous February so construction was superintended byJames Brunlees.[4][7] Brunlees had already completed a similar project and went on to achieve great eminence. The viaducts were built byW & J Galloway & Sons of Manchester. Brunlees and Galloway later collaborated on theSouthport Pier.[9] The work was costly however and Brogdens had to ask the Furness Railway for financial assistance. As the Furness Railway could not legally do this, two of their directors: theEarl of Burlington and theDuke of Buccleuch[9] made a loan of £50,000 in their personal capacities.[10] The line was opened on 26 August 1857.[9][10] Gross expenditure was over £410,000.[11]
| Ulverstone and Lancaster Railway Act 1858 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
| |
| Long title | An Act for authorizing the raising by the Ulverstone and Lancaster Railway Company of further Money, and the selling or leasing of their Railway to the Furness Railway Company; or the making by the Two Companies of Working Arrangements; and for giving further Powers to the Two Companies respectively; and for other Purposes. |
| Citation | 21 & 22 Vict. c. xcviii |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 12 July 1858 |
In 1858 the Brogdens approached the Furness Railway (FR) for a further loan as traffic on theU&LR had not "come up to expectations". However theFR insisted that they would only offer a loan if the U&LR was sold to them so Brogdens declined this offer. In 1859-1860 the line began to pay its way. It was rumoured that the line would be sold to theLondon and North Western Railway and in 1862 an agreement was made between the shareholders of the U&LR and Furness Railway. U&LR shareholders received 5%preference stock in the Furness Railway in return for their U&LR shares,[12][13] not a very large return considering that they had risked losing the money altogether. This railway link was critical to the later industrial development ofBarrow-in-Furness and its locality and mining interests.[5][14] It also caused silt to build up in former tidal areas, creating new agricultural land.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link){{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link){{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)| International | |
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| National | |
