PHOTO GALLERY: WHITEHAVEN, CLEATOR & EGREMONT RAILWAY
Rowrah No1
OPENED: c1875. CLOSED: 1967
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The Whitehaven, Cleator & Egremont bought their signal boxes and equipment exclusively from Stevens & Sons during their independent existence, but many were replaced in later years and few original examples survived beyond the 1960s.
With its back to the Lakeland fells, Rowrah No1 was the sole survivor but in a sorry state when photographed after twelve years of disuse. A distinctive feature of Stevens’ signal box architecture was the vertical timbering in the gable ends and that, at least, has survived to help identification.
In 1877, the WCE sold out to the London & North Western Railway, but the lines became a joint operation with the Furness Railway in 1878. All signal boxes built after 1877 were to the L&NW’s design.
The box closed on 1st August 1967.