%20through%20Keswick%20to%20Penrith,%20and%20was%20opened%20in%201865.%20The%20main%20reason%20for%20building%20this%20line%20was%20to%20bring%20low%20phosphorous%20coke%20from%20Durham%20via%20the%20line%20over%20Stainmore%20to%20the%20iron%20works%20of%20West%20Cumberland%20(with%20a%20return%20cargo%20of%20iron),%20but%20it%20was%20routed%20through%20Keswick...){kind=link}
Rail Travel From Cockermouth
The third line into the Lakes was the only one to pass through the area; it ran from
Cockermouth (which had been linked to Workington' since 1847) through Keswick to Penrith, and was opened in 1865. The main reason for building this line was to bring low phosphorous coke from Durham via the line over Stainmore to the iron works of West Cumberland (with a return cargo of iron), but it was routed through Keswick rather than going north of Skiddaw (with its lead and copper mines) in order to tap the tourist market, for Keswick and Borrowdale had traditionally been the prime goal of tourists to the Lakes. Once again an hotel was built near the station and tourism (of a more genteel nature than at Windermere) was quietly encouraged. However, Keswick never became a second Windermere, being so much further from the industrial towns of Lancashire. The line also carried granite, lead, limestone, slate and pitprops, as well as general agricultural produce.In 18689 the Furness Railway opened a branch to Lake Side on Windermere, which both connected with the existing steamer services, and passed very close to the Backbarrow iron works and two gunpowder mills; it also exported bobbins from Stott Park Mill. At Lake Side a lavish station, restaurant and pier were built; the line's most famous early passenger was H. W. Schneider, the Barrow ironmaster, who lived at Bowness, and travelled by steam yacht and train each day to his office.
The final line to be built into the fells was the route from Ravenglass to Boot, opened in 1875, specifically to bring out the rich haematite ores. The line was narrow gauge (3ft) and the cost of moving the ore was reduced by about 80%. Unfortunately, the line soon ran into financial difficulties, and the mining company failed in 1882. After a complicated series of changes, the line was converted to miniature gauge (15in) in 1915-17, and thereafter concentrated on the tourist trade. Of all the lines to penetrate the fells, only this and the Windermere line survive more or less intact.
The other group of lines to be built in the area was the network linking the coal and iron mines behind Whitehaven and Workington. The first line linked Whitehaven with the new ironworks at Cleator Moor as well as with Frizington and Egremont in 1856; mineral lines soon began to lead off in all directions to the various mines, and the main line was extended north to meet the Workington-Cockermouth line in 1866. These lines allowed the development of company towns and villages, notably the planned town of Cleator Moor; whilst the ease of moving the iron ore meant that most later ironworks were built more conveniently on the coast (at Harrington and Workington, for example) rather than on the ore field itself. In only two years (1869-71) the number of iron furnaces in Cumberland doubled from 17 to 34.
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