page_title: Carlisle railway history
section_title: Maryport and Carlisle Railway
hierarchical_section_title: Carlisle railway history / Maryport and Carlisle Railway
caption_attribution_description: English: Railways of Carlisle, England, in 1843
context_page_description: Carlisle, in North West England, formed the focus for a number of railway routes because of the geography of the area. At first each railway company had its own passenger and goods station, but in 1847 passenger terminal facilities were concentrated at Citadel station, which is in use today. Goods facilities remained dispersed, and goods wagons passing through were remarshalled, incurring delay and expense.
  Congestion at the station increased over the years until in 1877 by-pass lines for goods traffic were provided, although the dispersed terminal facilities largely remained. The passenger station itself, although imposing, remained confined and inadequate.
  Carlisle Kingmoor Marshalling Yard opened in 1963, but wagonload traffic was already near the end of its commercial life, and the costly yard facilities were soon reduced as demand declined.
  Today Carlisle is an important point on the West Coast main line railway, and a junction for radiating secondary routes. Passenger traffic is buoyant, and long distance freight trains pass through.
context_section_description: Maryport had been a significant port further west on the Cumberland coast, and was also in an important area of coal extraction. Following local interest, the Maryport and Carlisle Railway was incorporated on 12 July 1837. It was constructed from the Maryport end at first; then a section at the Carlisle end was opened on 10 May 1843. For the time being there was a gap at the centre of the route, only closed when the line was completed in early 1845.
  The Carlisle section of the line formed a junction with the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway at Bog Junction, or Bogfield. (Contemporary reports are inconsistent in nomenclature.)
  The Maryport and Carlisle passenger station was at Water Lane, close to the present day St Nicholas Street. It was described by the Carlisle Journal as "nearly on the site of the ancient hospital of Saint Nicholas". The M&CR and the Port Carlisle extension of the N&CR ran alongside one another at this point, and they joined a little to the east; some M&CR trains continued to the N&CR London Road station. All M&CR goods traffic was handled at the London Road station.
  The London Road terminus faced eastwards, so that use of it by M&CR trains involved a backshunt. The cramped Water Lane station was only a temporary measure, and the M&CR had acquired land at Crown Street for their intended permanent terminus. Unfortunately the Parliamentary Bill for that was rejected on a technicality in the 1843 session. When it was resubmitted in 1844, it was considered together with the Bill for the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway; both Bills were passed (on 6 June 1844), and serious difficulties later arose. The L&CR and the M&CR schemes both required facilities for a terminus, and for some time it proved impossible to negotiate a mutually acceptable arrangement.
caption: Railways of Carlisle in 1843
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