▁prospect s ▁The ▁prospect s ▁of ▁the ▁C & W ▁were ▁significantly ▁improved ▁by ▁the ▁actions ▁of ▁others : ▁the ▁improvement ▁of ▁port ▁facilities ▁at ▁Work ington ▁and ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁rail ways ▁whose ▁connection ▁with ▁the ▁C & W ▁changed ▁it ▁from ▁being ▁an ▁ins ign ific ant ▁dead - end ▁branch ▁to ▁a ▁link ▁in ▁through ▁routes ▁for ▁the ▁explo itation ▁of ▁the ▁ha emat ite ▁ore - field ▁a ▁few ▁miles ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁Der w ent ▁ ▁Work ington ▁D ock ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 0 , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁F let ch ers ▁wrote ▁on ▁beh alf ▁of ▁local ▁coal - ▁and ▁iron - master s ▁to ▁the ▁Work ington ▁Har bour ▁trust ees ▁calling ▁for ▁a ▁wet - d ock ▁at ▁Work ington ▁to ▁accommod ate ▁the ▁growing ▁traffic ▁from ▁local ▁industry ▁( and ▁the ▁expected ▁increase ▁in ▁traffic ▁from ▁the ▁proposed ▁Pen r ith - C ock erm outh ▁and ▁Lam pl ugh - B ridge foot ▁rail ▁links ) ▁and ▁to ▁combat ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁trade ▁to ▁the ▁newly ▁opened ▁wet ▁dock ▁at ▁Mary port . ▁The ▁trust ees ▁consult ed ▁John ▁Haw k sh aw , ▁who ▁reported ▁that ▁the ▁sub so il ▁on ▁both ▁sides ▁of ▁the ▁Der w ent ▁was ▁gra vel ▁and ▁sand , ▁and ▁consequ ently ▁construction ▁of ▁a ▁wet ▁dock ▁was ▁beyond ▁the ▁trust ees ' ▁means . ▁Lord ▁L ons dale ▁then ▁offered ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁tid al ▁dock ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁river ▁at ▁his ▁own ▁exp