St Thomas Cross Platform was a railway station used by workmen's trains on the Moor Row to Sellafield line on what is now the southeastern, Cringlethwaite, edge of Egremont, Cumbria, England.
The line on which the halt was built was one of the fruits of the rapid industrialisation of West Cumberland in the second half of the nineteenth century. Tracks were laid southwards from Whitehaven and Moor Row as far as Egremont by the Whitehaven, Cleator and Egremont Railway, opening to passengers on 1 July 1857. By the 1860s the company sought to extend southwards from Egremont to meet the coastal line at Sellafield, aiming for Millom, Barrow-in-Furness and beyond. The Furness opposed this, but the two companies came to an accommodation and built the Egremont to Sellafield extension as a joint line.
St Thomas Cross Platform was a Twentieth Century addition to the line.[4] A service from Moor Row to Beckermet Mines, calling at Woodend, Egremont and St Thomas Cross was started on 15 January 1912, though it is possible that other workmen's services called before then, as Florence Mine was nearby.
The use of the term "Platform" usually signified that a station was an unstaffed halt. The halt must have been closed by 1933, when the structure was demolished.[1] It was used by workers at the nearby Florence mine,[2] which went on to be the last operating iron ore mine, as opposed to quarry, in Western Europe. It closed in 2008.
The halt does not appear on the relevant 1928 Railway Clearing House junction diagram or in Jowett.[5]
The station is not marked on contemporary OS maps up to 6" to the Mile, but an unlabelled building with a footpath to the road is shown in the right place on the Cumberland 1:2,500 scale OS map linked below via Old OS Maps.
Afterlifeedit
By 2013 the trackbed through the halt was clearly visible on satellite images, but the site itself appeared to be privately occupied.
Butt, R. V. J. (October 1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC 60251199. OL 11956311M.
Croughton, Godfrey; Kidner, R. W.; Young, Alan (1982). Private and Untimetabled Railway Stations, Halts and Stopping Places. The Oakwood Press. ISBN978-0-85361-281-0. OCLC 10507501.
Jowett, Alan (March 1989). Jowett's Railway Atlas of Great Britain and Ireland: From Pre-Grouping to the Present Day (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN978-1-85260-086-0. OCLC 22311137.
Robinson, Peter W. (February 1989). Peascod, Michael (ed.). "Workmen's Trains to Beckermet Mines". Cumbrian Railways. Pinner: Cumbrian Railways Association. 4 (3). ISSN 1466-6812.
Suggitt, Gordon (2008). Lost Railways of Cumbria (Railway Series). Newbury: Countryside Books. ISBN978-1-84674-107-4.
Further readingedit
Anderson, Paul (April 2002). Hawkins, Chris (ed.). "Dog in the Manger? The Track of the Ironmasters". British Railways Illustrated. Clophill: Irwell Press Ltd. 11 (7).
Bairstow, Martin (1995). Railways In The Lake District. Martin Bairstow. ISBN1-871944-11-2.
Bowtell, Harold D. (1989). Rails through Lakeland: An Illustrated Journey of the Workington-Cockermouth-Keswick-Penrith Railway 1847-1972. Wyre, Lancashire: Silverling Publishing Ltd. ISBN0-947971-26-2.
McGowan Gradon, W. (2004) [1952]. The Track of the Ironmasters: A History of the Cleator and Workington Junction Railway. Grange-over-Sands: Cumbrian Railways Association. ISBN0-9540232-2-6.
Quayle, Howard (2007). Whitehaven: The Railways and Waggonways of a Unique Cumberland Port. Pinner: Cumbrian Railways Association. ISBN978-0-9540232-5-6.
Western, Robert (2001). The Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith Railway OL113. Usk: Oakwood Press. ISBN0-85361-564-0.
External linksedit
Possible representation of the platform on a 1925 OS map, via Old OS Maps
The station not on the line with Engineer's Line References, via railwaycodes.org.uk
Map of the line with photos, via RAILSCOT
The station not on overlain OS maps surveyed from 1898, via National Library of Scotland
The station not on a 1948 OS Map, via npe maps
The railways of Cumbria, via Cumbrian Railways Association
Photos of Cumbrian railways, via Cumbrian Railways Association
Cumbrian Industrial History, via Cumbria Industrial History Society
Furness Railtour using many West Cumberland lines 5 September 1954, via sixbellsjunction
A video tour-de-force of the region's closed lines, via cumbriafilmarchive
Haematite, via earthminerals
December 15, 2023
thomas, cross, platform, railway, station, thomas, cross, platform, railway, station, used, workmen, trains, moor, sellafield, line, what, southeastern, cringlethwaite, edge, egremont, cumbria, england, thomas, cross, platformgeneral, informationlocationcringl. St Thomas Cross Platform was a railway station used by workmen s trains on the Moor Row to Sellafield line on what is now the southeastern Cringlethwaite edge of Egremont Cumbria England St Thomas Cross PlatformGeneral informationLocationCringlethwaite Egremont Cumbria CopelandEnglandCoordinates54 28 35 N 3 31 21 W 54 4765 N 3 5224 W 54 4765 3 5224Grid referenceNY014100PlatformsUnknownOther informationStatusDisusedHistoryOriginal companyLNWR amp FR Joint RailwayPost groupingLondon Midland and Scottish RailwayKey dates15 January 1912 1 opened for workmen s servicesby 1933Closed 2 3 vteWhitehaven Cleator amp Egremont RailwayLegendCleator and WorkingtonJunction RailwayCumbrian Coast lineto Carlisle Cockermouth andWorkington RailwayMarron JunctionWorkington CentralWorkington Main BridgefootHarringtonParton Halt BranthwaiteDistingtonDistington Works Gilgarran BranchUllockParton LamplughRowrahWhitehaven SummitWinderWhitehaven TunnelYeathouseCorkickle EskettMirehouse Junction Eskett JunctionMoor Row FrizingtonSt Bees Cleator Moor WestCleator Moor EastSt Bees Golf Halt Cleator Moor first WoodendGillfootEgremontNethertown St Thomas CrossPlatformBeckermet MinesBraystones BeckermetSellafieldCumbrian Coast lineto Barrow in Furness Contents 1 History and location 2 Afterlife 3 See also 4 References 4 1 Sources 5 Further reading 6 External linksHistory and location editThe line on which the halt was built was one of the fruits of the rapid industrialisation of West Cumberland in the second half of the nineteenth century Tracks were laid southwards from Whitehaven and Moor Row as far as Egremont by the Whitehaven Cleator and Egremont Railway opening to passengers on 1 July 1857 By the 1860s the company sought to extend southwards from Egremont to meet the coastal line at Sellafield aiming for Millom Barrow in Furness and beyond The Furness opposed this but the two companies came to an accommodation and built the Egremont to Sellafield extension as a joint line St Thomas Cross Platform was a Twentieth Century addition to the line 4 A service from Moor Row to Beckermet Mines calling at Woodend Egremont and St Thomas Cross was started on 15 January 1912 though it is possible that other workmen s services called before then as Florence Mine was nearby The use of the term Platform usually signified that a station was an unstaffed halt The halt must have been closed by 1933 when the structure was demolished 1 It was used by workers at the nearby Florence mine 2 which went on to be the last operating iron ore mine as opposed to quarry in Western Europe It closed in 2008 The halt does not appear on the relevant 1928 Railway Clearing House junction diagram or in Jowett 5 The station is not marked on contemporary OS maps up to 6 to the Mile but an unlabelled building with a footpath to the road is shown in the right place on the Cumberland 1 2 500 scale OS map linked below via Old OS Maps Afterlife editBy 2013 the trackbed through the halt was clearly visible on satellite images but the site itself appeared to be privately occupied Preceding station Disused railways Following stationEgremont Cumbria Line and station closed LNWR amp FR Joint Railway Beckermet MinesLine and station closed BeckermetLine and station closedSee also edit nbsp Cumbria portalFurness Railway Cleator and Workington Junction Railway Whitehaven Cleator and Egremont RailwayReferences edit a b Robinson 1989 p 39 a b Croughton Kidner amp Young 1982 p 122 Butt 1995 p xxx Suggitt 2008 p 55 Jowett 1989 Map 36 Sources edit Butt R V J October 1995 The Directory of Railway Stations details every public and private passenger station halt platform and stopping place past and present 1st ed Sparkford Patrick Stephens Ltd ISBN 978 1 85260 508 7 OCLC 60251199 OL 11956311M Croughton Godfrey Kidner R W Young Alan 1982 Private and Untimetabled Railway Stations Halts and Stopping Places The Oakwood Press ISBN 978 0 85361 281 0 OCLC 10507501 Jowett Alan March 1989 Jowett s Railway Atlas of Great Britain and Ireland From Pre Grouping to the Present Day 1st ed Sparkford Patrick Stephens Ltd ISBN 978 1 85260 086 0 OCLC 22311137 Robinson Peter W February 1989 Peascod Michael ed Workmen s Trains to Beckermet Mines Cumbrian Railways Pinner Cumbrian Railways Association 4 3 ISSN 1466 6812 Suggitt Gordon 2008 Lost Railways of Cumbria Railway Series Newbury Countryside Books ISBN 978 1 84674 107 4 Further reading editAnderson Paul April 2002 Hawkins Chris ed Dog in the Manger The Track of the Ironmasters British Railways Illustrated Clophill Irwell Press Ltd 11 7 Bradshaw 1986 1922 Bradshaw s July 1922 Railway Guide reprint Guild Publishing London British Railways Pre Grouping Atlas And Gazetteer Shepperton Ian Allan Publishing 1997 1958 ISBN 0 7110 0320 3 Atterbury Paul 2009 Along Lost Lines Newton Abbot David amp Charles ISBN 978 0 7153 2706 7 Bairstow Martin 1995 Railways In The Lake District Martin Bairstow ISBN 1 871944 11 2 Bowtell Harold D 1989 Rails through Lakeland An Illustrated Journey of the Workington Cockermouth Keswick Penrith Railway 1847 1972 Wyre Lancashire Silverling Publishing Ltd ISBN 0 947971 26 2 McGowan Gradon W 2004 1952 The Track of the Ironmasters A History of the Cleator and Workington Junction Railway Grange over Sands Cumbrian Railways Association ISBN 0 9540232 2 6 Quayle Howard 2007 Whitehaven The Railways and Waggonways of a Unique Cumberland Port Pinner Cumbrian Railways Association ISBN 978 0 9540232 5 6 Smith Paul Turner Keith 2012 Railway Atlas Then and Now Ian Allan Publishing ISBN 978 0 7110 3695 6 Joy David 1983 Lake Counties Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain Newton Abbot David amp Charles ISBN 094653702X Marshall John 1981 Forgotten Railways North West England Newton Abbot David amp Charles ISBN 0 7153 8003 6 Western Robert 2001 The Cockermouth Keswick and Penrith Railway OL113 Usk Oakwood Press ISBN 0 85361 564 0 External links editPossible representation of the platform on a 1925 OS map via Old OS Maps The station not on the line with Engineer s Line References via railwaycodes org uk Map of the line with photos via RAILSCOT The station not on overlain OS maps surveyed from 1898 via National Library of Scotland The station not on a 1948 OS Map via npe maps The railways of Cumbria via Cumbrian Railways Association Photos of Cumbrian railways via Cumbrian Railways Association The railways of Cumbria via Railways of Cumbria Cumbrian Industrial History via Cumbria Industrial History Society Furness Railtour using many West Cumberland lines 5 September 1954 via sixbellsjunction A video tour de force of the region s closed lines via cumbriafilmarchive Haematite via earthminerals Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title St Thomas Cross Platform railway station amp oldid 1120759287, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
