This new book covers the entire history of the CWJR, taking in the inception of the line, its construction over several iterations, followed by its very slow reduction after the end of the Great War. The line lost its passenger service in 1931 but much of the system remained intact until 1963 when the main line lost around a half of its railway. Contraction continued but it was not until June 1992 when the final portion of the line from Siddick Junction to the Northern Extension at Broughton Moor was finally closed to traffic. 

It should be borne in mind that although this was an independent railway, the great majority of the goods and virtually all of the passenger services were operated on behalf of the Furness Railway. However, the CWJR gradually acquired a locomotive fleet of its own which served the portion of the line not served by the FR routes. The history of the line proper takes us up to the end of chapter 18. What follows from hereon are detailed accounts of different aspects of the line's infrastructure and the operation of the line in fine detail. 

Chapter 19 covers a trip down the line in three separate and distinct sections, these being the main line, the Rowrah branch and finally the line from Calva junction to Linefoot. What is interesting is that in each of these sections the date is set for the year 1920. 

Chapters 20 and 21 may almost be counted as a single chapter but is incorporated into two distinct parts. The first one provides an overview and then goes into the detail of the passenger side of the traffic. Chapter 21 covers the working timetable as it appeared in 1913. In fact, it is split into two sections with separate accounts of the engines operated by the CWJR proper followed by a separate account of the engines worked by the FR. This of course utilised the majority of the locomotives in use on the line. 

Chapter 22 covers the use of wagons and wagon supplies. Following the overview there are again separate accounts of wagons used first of all by the FR and then a more detailed account of what was supplied by the CWJR. 

Finally, chapter 23 provides an almost exhaustive coverage of the locomotives provided for both the CWJR and the FR versions of these classes of engines. 

The book which amounts to 216 pages includes a large number of photographs and a selection of drawings. It is a must for anyone with even the slightest interest in local railways as well as those with a wider interest in social or economic history. 

Author: Dave Richardson
Publisher - Cumbrian Railways Association 
Hardback
216 pages 
Published: 

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