Statement that CR offered to buy the railway in 1857 is unreferenced, and although Joy says something about the CR attempting to absorb the PC & Silloth lines I can't see anything in contemporary sources to support it. Shareholders' meetings for both the PCD&R and the CR make no mention (disgruntled shareholders are normally v good at blurting out things the directors don't choose to recall) nor is there any mention at the PCD&R meeting in 1858 which approved the Bill for the connection. In 1857, the CR and the North British were fighting over the Carlisle-Hawick link, and the PC & Silloth lines were in cahoots (if not in bed) with the North British; ditto 1858 , when the CR made it clear that the link to the PCD&R was a lot more likely to be built if the PCD&R stopped opposing the CR Carlisle-Hawick project Rjccumbria (talk) 12:51, 6 April 2016 (UTC)Reply
- Sorted, I think: CR bill for branch initially sought powers to work the PCD&R and the Silloth line, and wasn't passed until clauses taken out. Whether the CR just wanted powers in its back pocket or actually attempted to absorb the lines isn't clear, although - as noted above - there isn't much sign of the latter. Purchase, however, doesn't seem to have been contemplated Rjccumbria (talk) 11:27, 7 April 2016 (UTC)Reply
