This book covers a fascinating area of railway history in West Cumbria that has previously had very little written about it. Situated between Whitehaven and Egremont, Bigrigg was vital to the Industrial Revolution; its output of minerals was crucial to the local economy and expansion of the area.
Within the space of a little over one square mile, there were more than 40 pits in Bigrigg, the vast majority of which were rail connected. The history of this industrial heritage is complicated by the multiplicity of land owners, mineral rights owners, mine owners and mine lessees. Bigrigg: Whitehaven Cleator & Egremont Railway: The Bigrigg Branch & Iron Ore Mines unravels this history and relates the story of the branch and its mines. It is the result of extensive research undertaken by the Bigrigg Research Team
Today, there are very few traces of this once busy scene and few people will be aware of its importance. Bigrigg: Whitehaven Cleator & Egremont Railway: The Bigrigg Branch & Iron Ore Mines delves into the past to bring the present alive and provides an understanding of the current topography of the area. It is amazing to see just how complicated the pits and railways were. 48 pages with numerous maps, photographs showing the area in its heyday and what remains today, along with extracts from historical documents.