ARE you the proud possessor of a Micklam brick? We know a man who is. Even rarer has to be this picture, thought to date from 1927 of the workers of the Micklam Fireclay Mine and Brickworks at Lowca, with the top man, or owner, proudly sat in the middle of his men sporting a homburg, suit and watch-chain.

It had a rail line too – the Lowca Light Railway connected Moss Bay Ironworks, Workington to Micklam Brickworks and Harrington No 10 Colliery at Lowca. In 1912 an application was made to the Light Railway Commissioners by the Workington Iron and Steel Company to use the line from Rosehill to Lowca for passenger traffic.

It was operated by the Cleator and Workington Junction Railway and stations were built at Lowca, Micklam, Copperas Hill and a halt was opened at Rosehill.

The brickworks, the tar plant and Lowca Pit all disappeared about the same time and plans for a multi-million pound holiday complex on the site have so far not materialised.