Workington

Workington is a town on the west coast of Cumbria, England at the mouth of the River Derwent. The area around Workington has long been a producer of coal and steel.

Workington had a population of around 25,000 people in 1991 and is an industrial town. It is the seat of Allerdale Borough Council, which is one of three borough councils in Cumbria.

1 History
2 Sport in Workington
3 Transport
4 External links

[edit] History

Mary, Queen of Scots after the defeat of her forces at the Battle of Langside fled to England by crossing the Solway Firth, and landed in the vicinity of Workington . She spent her first night in England as an honoured guest in Workington Hall, but was soon moved on to Carlisle Castle.

The insult 'Jam Eaters' is used as part of the rivalry with local town Whitehaven. Supposedly, this term arose from the mining days because miners from Workington were richer than those from Whitehaven and could afford more exotic sandwich fillings.

Workington was the home of Distington Engineering Company (DEC) the engineering arm of British Steel Corporation (BSC), which specialised in the design of Continuous Casting equipment. DEC had an engineering design office, engineering workshops and a foundry. In the 1970s as BSC adapted to a more slipstreamed approach to the metals industry the engineering design company was separated from the workshops and foundry and re-designated as Distington Engineering Contracting. Employing some 200 people its primary purpose was the design, manufacture, installation and commissioning of continuous casting machines.

[edit] Sport in Workington

Workington has a non league and former professional football team, Workington Reds, as well as a Pro rugby league and former challenge cup winning team, Workington Town, and a professional speedway team, the Workington Comets.

Workington is home to a tradition known as "Uppies and Downies", an historical version of football, dating to Medieval times. The goals are about a mile apart, one being a capstan at the harbour, and the other the park wall of Workington Hall. There were traditionally no rules, except those suggested by cunning and skill, while brute force is of the greatest importance. The 'Uppies' attempt to hale the ball over the park wall; the 'Downies' over the capstan. Whoever is successful in doing so wins a sovereign, given by the owner of Workington Hall. Workington still holds annual Uppies and Downies matches every Easter, raising money for various local charities.

[edit] Transport

Workington is linked by the A596 road to Maryport and (via the A595 road) to Whitehaven, and by the A66 road to Cockermouth, the M6 motorway, Penrith and County Durham. The town has bus connections to other towns and villages in West Cumbria, Penrith, Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness, as well as the rail connection provided by the Cumbrian Coast Line to Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness, with occasional through trains to Newcastle, Lancaster and Preston.