AND SO TO WHITEHAVEN

Having survived at look at Sellafield without turning luminous green, our next stop is inland at Egremont, where local operator Brownrigg's ran a local service. 

We arrive at the port and mining town of Whitehaven, to be greeted by Wellington Pit, overlooking the harbour.

In the mid 1970s, this DMU was photographed at Whitehaven Bransty station, before the demolition of the old buildings.

A fine signal box controlled proceedings.

Here's the station in 1983.

153360 in the bay platform in 2001.

Now it's 2006 and Northern's 142036 arrives with a service for Lancaster - a long way on such an inadequate unit.

In the harbour in 1983, the Marchon Enterprise.

With the demise of coal mining, the harbour is used mainly by pleasure craft. However, there were still a few fishing boats in 2006.

Two 2006 views of the Inner Harbour.

Cumberland Motor Services had their main depot in Whitehaven. Here are a few of the buses in the mid 1970s.

Now it's 1983.

Stagecoach run the services today.

An early attempt at competition was made by Yeowarts. Here are a few vehicles at the company's Whitehaven depot in 1983.

The former Cumberland Motor Services' depot has now been converted to a Wetherspoon's pub, called the Bransty Arch.

We'll conclude our visit here. The next post will see us in Workington and beyond.

ALONG LA'AL RATTY

Having left Barrow behind, we head up to Lindal Moor, near Lindal-in-Furness, where Mesrs Harris & Ainsdale's Ironstone had exchange sidings with the Furness Railway.

The next place of interest is Foxfield station, with a nice FR signal box.

Across the road is the excellent Prince of Wales, which brewed its own beer. At the time of writing, it's closed. It should reopen soon, see the Facebook page for updates.

A mile or so away is Broughton-in-Furness, once served by a line from Foxfield. Here's the remains of the station in 1966 (Ben Brooksbank - Creative Commons License).

At Broughton-in-Furness is a decent free house, the Manor Arms.

Opposite the railway at nearby Millom was a pub called The Station, but it is now "long term closed" according to WhatPub.

I'm afraid there's a few more shut pubs to follow. Our next destination is about a mile from the railway, at Bootle village. Here's the church.

Next, the cross.

There was a great pub here, the Kings Head, sadly no longer with us.

Bootle has a railway station, which used to be served by the Station Hotel - now shut.

153332 arrives at Bootle in 1996.

A few miles to the north of Bootle is Ravenglass station, where the old booking office, etc., has been converted to a pub, the Ratty Arms.

A DMU arrives at Ravenglass in the early '70s.

Ravenglass station was - and still is - the interchange for the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway, AKA 'La'al Ratty'. It was originally of 3ft gauge.

The R&ER was later converted to 15" gauge.

Even after conversion, some freight traffic was retained from Murthwaite Quarry, using wagons such as these.

'River Irt' is seen in the headshunt at Ravenglass in the mid 1970s.

More modern views at Ravenglass, including some diesel traction.

The main intermediate station on the line is Irton Road. Here's the station in 3ft gauge days.

Irton Road handled quite a bit of timber traffic, even after conversion.

Today, Irton Road is where trains pass each other.

River Esk is now seen as it awaits departure..

Further up the valley is Eskdale Green station.

A well-filled train approaches Eskdale Green.

Not far away is the Bower House Inn.

There's also the King George IV. Both pubs are still open and do accommodation.

The Stanley Ghyll Hotel has long gone. It was near Beckfoot.

The line terminates at Dalegarth/Boot. Two of the 3ft gauge trains are seen below.

'River Esk' is seen at Dalegarth, circa 1976.

'Northerrn Rock' on the turntable at Boot in 1995.

Close by is a super little pub, the Burnmoor Inn.

We must now head back to the coast and we'll finish up at the nuclear facility at Sellafield. This is it in 1956, when it was called Calder Hall. The two Magnox Reactors are seen (Creative Commons License).

That's it for this post. We'll continue along the Cumbrian coast in the next one. Meanwhile, here's the map of the route so far.