The Port Carlisle Branch

[rogerfarnworth]

Our long holiday in 2022 was spent in the far North of Scotland. We stopped off to break the return journey close to Carlisle at a B&B in a hamlet called Boustead Hill adjacent to the Solway Firth.

This gave me an opportunity to find out more about the Port Carlisle Branch which was built on the line of the old canal between Carlisle and Port Carlisle.

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2022/05/18/th ... way-part-1

[Journeyman]

Very interesting bit of History and well researched. Thanks for that, Dave.

[Mountain]

You have had fun with the research. I can see how in the past how difficult things were and the needs to have a way to move things.

One wonders if things would have run better without governments making permissions difficult and insisting on conditions? Would today be caotic or would it run better? We honestly can't answer that as we only know the current route that we have.

[rogerfarnworth]

Hi Mountain

Yep, great fun!

The UK had one of the more Draconian regulatory systems that effectively applied the brake to most applications for new lines. I guess that if you were likely to be adversely affected by a proposal you would be happier if you thought that the proposer had less chance here than in other countries of getting the scheme off the ground. On the other hand, if you were the promoter you might we'll be unhappy!

[rogerfarnworth]

For around fifty years the passenger rail service to Port Carlisle was provided by a a horse drawn dandy carriages. ....

One of these Dandy carriages is preserved in the National Railway Museum in York.

The linked article focusses on this horse-drawn service. ....

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2022/05/18/th ... way-part-2

Quote Edit Report

[rogerfarnworth]

After 1914 and the reintroduction of steam power on the branch, there was a short period during the later part of the First World War when the line to Port Carlisle was closed. When it reopened, the hoped for increased passenger traffic never materialised. As the 1920s wore on, the LNER decided that it would replace locomotive power on the branch with steam railcars.

The first was 'Nettle', the second, 'Flower of Yarrow'.

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2022/05/19/th ... way-part-3

Sadly, their introduction did not significantly improve the financial position and the length of the line from Drumburgh to Port Carlisle was closed in 1932. .....