Economic Aspects
The local market for coal from pits in the West Cumberland coalfield was very small, and profitable operation depended upon cheap transport to local ports and onward transport by sea to more distant markets (largely to the east coast of Ireland, and Dublin in particular). Local interests exerted themselves to develop the northern end of the coalfield; the inadequate harbour arrangements at Maryport were remedied by a new dock (completed in 1837) and the high cost of carriage tackled by the promotion of the Maryport and Carlisle. The support given by local landowners is reflected in the fact that there were 3 private stations serving their homes on the less than 50 miles of M&C track.
In 1842, the general manager of Whitehaven Collieries reported "The promoters of the Maryport & Carlisle Railway had the avowed object in view to injure Whitehaven, in which they have been successful". It now cost Brayton Colliery 4 shillings per waggon to transport their coal to Maryport by railway, when road transport had formerly cost them 9 shillings per waggon; Gilcrux colliery were now paying half the 7 shillings per waggon road transport had cost them. At that time Whitehaven coal was being sold to the shippers at 16/6 delivered on board
As a consequence of this reduction in costs, output from the northern coalfield increased rapidly, and with it the tonnage of coal shipped from Maryport (a Carlisle paper claiming in 1844 that it had trebled). By 1846, almost as much coal was being shipped out through Maryport as through Whitehaven. The coal traffic was to be a major contributor to M&C revenues (and profits) for many years to come, but by the 1880s as much coal was travelling east over the M&C as was being shipped out through Maryport. For a few years in the 1860s profits were boosted by traffic taking haematite from West Cumberland (suitable for steel-making by the Bessemer process) to ironworks outside the region, and the M&C was declaring dividends over twice the average for UK railways. The haematite traffic dropped as steelworks moved to the area, but profits remained high (and dividends averaged over 10%) until the mid-1880s when processes were developed which allowed high-quality steel to be made from other iron ores (and in more convenient locations). Between 1850 and 1922 the M&C dividend averaged over 7%
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