The Railway suffered from poor management in the early years, earning numerous complaints and nearly caused it to go bust, with both N&CR and L&CR making bids to take on the line and pay dividends to the impoverished shareholders. However, they managed to avoid this by offering their shareholders a 3% dividend and cued an intervention by the infamous Railway King, George Hudson. He convinced the shareholders that he would guarantee a 4% minimum dividend in exchange for a lease to operate the railway. Unfortunately, Hudson’s methods of raising capital were at least questionable and although he continued to run the line, he failed to legally ratify the lease which was terminated and Hudson removed. A new committee was formed and this then helped to form a board of directors with an elected Chairman that directed the fortunes of the railway. This effective management, along with the retiring of loans, new capital being issued by parliament, and an increase in goods traffic and passenger usage eventual turned the fortunes of the railway.
Included in this map are the now defunct Bolton Loop, Derwent Branch and the southern section of the Solway Junction Railway, which were predominantly for mineral goods that were required for Scottish industries. It’s worth remembering that line owed its survival to the success of the goods traffic it carried, so they play an important part and are well-worthy of inclusion.