Station Terrace: The Lost Railway Houses of Moor Row

Station Terrace once stood directly behind the platforms of Moor Row railway station, forming part of the dense ribbon of housing that grew alongside the iron ore boom. While the nearby Railway Terrace still exists today, set further back from the former trackbed, Station Terrace has long since vanished. Its story reflects the rapid industrial expansion, migration, and the specific operational needs of the railway junction during the Victorian era.

This article brings together railway history, early mapping evidence, and census context to reconstruct what Station Terrace was, who lived there, and why it ultimately disappeared from the Moor Row landscape.

Why Station Terrace Was Built

Moor Row did not develop organically as a farming village; its growth was driven by industry. The opening of the Whitehaven, Cleator and Egremont Railway in 1855 transformed the area into a transport hub linking haematite iron ore mines to coastal ports and furnaces. Passenger services followed shortly after, and Moor Row became both a junction and a service centre for the surrounding mining district.

With the arrival of railway infrastructure came an urgent demand for housing. Station Terrace was part of this response. It was a purpose-built block of six houses located on the eastern side of the line, nestled immediately behind the passenger platform. While the sprawling Goods Yard dominated the western side of the tracks, these houses were tucked against the station's "inner circle."

This was "tied" housing, owned by the railway company and reserved for operational staff. Living here meant a life governed by the station clock, with the constant shunting of iron ore wagons and the hiss of locomotives at the nearby engine shed.

Construction and Layout: The Victorian Standard

Mapping evidence and building patterns across Moor Row indicate that the first terraces were constructed around 1859–1860. Streets such as Dalzell Street date from this period, built in a standard Victorian two-up two-down format. Station Terrace followed this functional design: two main rooms downstairs with two bedrooms above, outside privies, and shared rear access alleys. The houses were brick-built, intended as low-cost but sturdy accommodation for essential labour.

The 1861 Census: A Village in Transition

The 1861 census captures Moor Row at a critical turning point. At this stage, the village was still emerging. Census enumerators often recorded addresses simply as "Moor Row" or "Railway Houses" rather than by precise street names. Surviving occupational records confirm that railway staff were already living in Moor Row by 1861, including porters and operational workers, supporting the likelihood that Station Terrace was already partially occupied by railway families at this time.

The 1871 Census: "Little Cornwall"

By 1871, iron ore mining had intensified, triggering a wave of migration. The census shows a sharp increase in population and a much more diverse workforce. One striking feature of the 1871 returns is the large number of Cornish-born miners recorded across Moor Row’s streets. Towns such as Redruth, Camborne, Gwennap and St Just appear repeatedly in birthplaces. This migration was so significant that Moor Row developed a reputation locally as a "Little Cornwall" settlement. While many miners lived in the surrounding streets, Station Terrace remained a core location for those employed directly by the railway company, often taking in these Cornish migrants as lodgers to supplement household income.

A Hereditary Railway Colony

Census records reveal that Station Terrace was not just a place of work, but a hereditary colony. Families like the Grahams and Bewleys occupied these houses for over half a century, with sons following fathers into the signal boxes and onto the footplates. This deep-rooted connection meant the row was an enclave of railway service that lasted decades.

The Residents: 1891 Census

House No.	Head of Household	Occupation	Birthplace
1	John Russell	Traffic Manager	Scotland
2	Thomas Robinson	Railway Guard	Egremont
3	William Graham	Engine Driver	Carlisle
4	Isaac Hartley	Signalman	Gosforth
5	John Hodgson	Railway Foreman	Loweswater
6	Edwin Rose	Loco Superintendent	Gloucester

While formal ownership records have not survived publicly, the concentration of railway operational staff strongly suggests these houses were allocated for railway use.

The Residents: 1901 Census

House No.	Head of Household	Occupation	Birthplace
1	John Bewley	Railway Signalman	Westward
2	Thomas Robinson	Railway Guard	Egremont
3	William Graham	Railway Engine Driver	Carlisle
4	Isaac Hartley	Railway Signalman	Gosforth
5	John Hodgson	Railway Station Foreman	Loweswater
6	Joseph Mawson	Railway Pointsman	Cleator

The Residents: 1921 Census

House No.	Head of Household	Occupation	Employer
1	George H. Bewley	Signalman	LNWR & Furness Joint
2	Mary Robinson	Home Duties (Widow)	N/A
3	John W. Graham	Loco Fireman	LNWR & Furness Joint
4	William H. Moss	Railway Guard	LNWR & Furness Joint
5	Elizabeth Hodgson	Home Duties (Widow)	N/A
6	Robert Benson	Pointsman	LNWR & Furness Joint

From the Front to the Footplate: The Great War

The men of Station Terrace did not just keep the haematite moving at home; they took their skills to the battlefields. John William Graham served as a Sapper in the Royal Engineers Railway Operating Division, using his experience from the Moor Row junction to drive supply trains to the Western Front. Similarly, George Henry Bewley served with the Border Regiment before being recalled to the railway reserve, as his skills as a signalman were essential for the internal mineral lines during the war.

The Final Sentinel: 1939 Register

On the eve of the Second World War, the "Station Houses" were still occupied by a veteran crew of railwaymen. Because Moor Row was a key junction for hauling haematite to the coastal ironworks, these men were in reserved occupations and were vital to the home front. The 1939 Register reveals the following residents at the outbreak of the conflict:

House No.	Head of Household	Date of Birth	Occupation
1	George H. Bewley	12 May 1891	Railway Signalman
2	Joseph H. Robinson	18 Jun 1895	Railway Guard
3	John W. Graham	18 Apr 1889	Railway Engine Driver
4	William H. Moss	03 Jan 1880	Railway Guard
5	Thomas W. Hocking	22 Mar 1902	Railway Signalman
6	Robert Benson	29 Oct 1881	Railway Pointsman

Disclaimer: Census Data and Transcription Accuracy

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided, please be advised that census transcriptions are subject to inherent errors and omissions. These records are secondary interpretations of historical documents and may contain inaccuracies resulting from:
Original Enumeration Errors: Mistakes made by the original enumerator, including phonetic misspellings, incorrect ages, or the omission of household members.
Legibility Issues: Difficulties in deciphering archaic handwriting, faded ink, or degraded parchment.
Interpretation Discrepancies: Modern transcription errors where letters (such as 'S' and 'L' or 'u' and 'n') have been misinterpreted.
Indexing Omissions: Systematic gaps caused by missing pages or damaged sections of the original returns.
This data is provided for research purposes only. Users are strongly encouraged to consult the original digitised images of the census returns to verify any critical information. The Archivist accepts no responsibility for any errors, omissions, or subsequent conclusions drawn from this transcribed material.

The View from the Ground: 1973

In 1973, a survey of the Whitehaven, Cleator and Egremont Railway lines noted that several of the tied cottages at Moor Row were "vacant and boarded up." Unlike Railway Terrace, which was set back and had clear road access to the village, Station Terrace was effectively "landlocked" by the station platform and the railway boundary fence. This made them difficult to sell to private owners, leading to their demolition as "redundant structures."

The 1970s: Decline and Demolition

The fate of Station Terrace was sealed by its status as "operational railway land." While the residents of Railway Terrace further back were able to buy and modernise their homes, the houses at Station Terrace were seen as a liability once passenger services ended in 1965. Mapping evidence confirms that the station buildings and the six houses of Station Terrace were demolished between 1974 and 1977, following the 1974 local government reorganisation. By the time the final tracks were lifted in 1993 for the Coast to Coast cycle path, the physical history of the station yard had already been erased.

Legacy on the Landscape

Today, the former railway alignment has been repurposed as a cycle route. Although physically gone, Station Terrace represents the birth of the village as a railway settlement and the industrial migration that reshaped West Cumbria. Behind every lost terrace were families, livelihoods, and generations shaped by the rise and fall of the haematite industry.