He saw the viaduct as a national project and he intended that it would trap the silt in order to claim Morecambe Bay for agriculture.

[3] Consequently, Furness, instead of finding the main line on its doorstep, had to make its own arrangements to join its local rail network to the national one.

[6], but Richardson[5] has John, John, William Gale and Paxton The line was planned by McClean and Stileman at 19 miles (31 km) in length of which ten miles comprised embankments, and viaducts across the tidal estuaries of the rivers Kent and Leven.

McClean and Stileman had resigned as engineers the previous February so construction was superintended by James Brunlees.

As the Furness Railway could not legally do this, two of their directors: the Earl of Burlington and the Duke of Buccleuch[9] made a loan of £50,000 in their personal capacities.

[11] In 1858 the Brogdens approached the Furness Railway (FR) for a further loan as traffic on the U&LR had not "come up to expectations".