Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway Preservation Society Limited TheThe society society that that supports supports Lakeland’s Lakeland’s Special Special Attraction Attraction MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM Membership Name (s) in full Date of Birth (if under 18) Membership The Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway is not only a Great Little Railway TheThe but is supported The Ravenglass by a Great & EskdaleSociety. RailwayCome and is not join only us! Membershipa Great Little of ...... /...... /...... the SocietyRailway entitles but youis supported to receive byfree a travel Great on Society. the railway Come (occasionally and join ...... /...... /...... subjectus! to Membership restrictions), of volunteer the Society on entitles the railway, you to receiveuse the free volunteer travel ...... /...... /...... accommodationon the railway in Ravenglass (occasionally when subjectworking to on restrictions), the railway (forvolunteer a small RAVENGLASS ...... /...... /...... on the railway, use the volunteer accommodation in Ravenglass Ravenglass charge), receive four copies of the R&ERPS magazine each year and enjoy discountswhen working on books on the and railway gifts at (for the aSociety small charge)on-line shop and receive www.rerps.internationalwebstore.comfour copies of the R&ERPS magazine each year. Address ...... && eESKDALEskdale If you would like to join us and make many friends visit our ...... If you would like to join us and make many friends please complete our membershipwebsite at form www.rerps.co.uk. on the backThe Membership of this Secretary leaflet orcan be visit RAILWAYRailway ...... contacted at [email protected]. www.rerps.internationalwebstore.com to join on-line. F Foror more information Postcode ...... visit our website at www.rerps.co.uk The Membership Secretary can be PRESERVATION SOCIETY LTD contacted at [email protected] PReseRvaTion socieTy lTd Email ...... I/We desire to be a member(s) of the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway Preservation Society RAVENGLASSRavenglass Ltd and hereby agree if elected to become a member of the said society and to be bound by the memorandum and articles and rules of the said society.

Signed ......

CLASS OF MEMBERSHIP

LIFE @ £350 £ ADULT @ £18 £ OAP @ £16 £ HOWHOW TO FIND TO FIND THE RAILWAY THE RAILWAY SILLOTH

J43 ESKDALE CARLISLE ESKDALE JUNIOR (under 18) @ £9 £ RavenglassRavenglass is on is the on A595the A595 coast coast road betweenroad between Broughton-in Broughton-in- Furness DONATION £ MARYPORT M6 andFurness . and Whitehaven. Many coach Many COCKERMOUTH TOTAL £ companies incoach the North-West companies and in thethe KESWICK J40 runNorth-West tours to Ravenglass. and the WHITEHAVEN Please make cheques payable to: ST BEES ‘Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Preservation Society Ltd’ NorthernLake RailDistrict services run tours on the to Lancaster-Barrow-CarlisleRavenglass. line connect SELLAFIELD ESKDALE WINDERMERE with EskdaleNorthern trains Rail at services Ravenglass on the RAVENGLASS CONISTON { } Please tick if you are renewing your existing membership No ...... KENDAL and throughLancaster-Barrow-Carlisle booking facilities are line BROUGHTON-IN-FURNESS J37 RAVENGLASS Please enter existing membership No. connect with Eskdaleavailable. trains at MILLOM ULVERSTON Ravenglass J36 Ravenglass and through booking M6 www.rerps.co.uk

ESKDALE www.rerps.co.uk facilities are available. ESKDALE Please send completed forms to: BARROW-IN-FURNESS Hon. Membership Secretary, Phil Taylor, 12 Wholehouse Road, Seascale, CA20 1QY Welcome to the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway – a 7 mile Throughout the year, members promote the railway at village fairs, The line would have been scrapped but for the whim of W.J. Bassett- long narrow-gauge railway running through spectacular Lake transport rallies and exhibitions in their home areas. Not all members Lowke, a model-maker and his railway enthusiast friends. They re- District scenery from the coast at Ravenglass to Eskdale at the can give active help but their support through annual subscriptions and gauged the track to 15 inches for a scale model 4-4-2 steam engine foot of Scafell Pike, ’s highest mountain. One of the most donations funds the Society’s activities. ‘Sans Pareil’ and trains ran again in 1915 on what was then the popular tourist attractions in Cumbria, the railway is run by a World’s Smallest Public Railway. Rolling stock including an 0-8-0 family-owned company committed to its future, supported by a Good value self-catering steam engine ‘Muriel’ (today’s ‘’), came from the line of Sir Preservation Society who provide practical, financial and volunteer accommodation for volunteers Arthur Heywood. The line flourished with the growth of granite help. is provided by the Society in traffic and a standard gauge track was laid as far as the stone Ravenglass. ‘Heywood House, crushing plant at Murthwaite. The Preservation Society hires its steam locomotive ‘’, its situated on Main Street, has recently diesel locomotive ‘Douglas Ferreira’ and an open coach to the been refurbished - currently sleeping After the second world war, the railway was acquired by the railway company for daily operations; sponsors projects; and 12. The ‘Station Bungalow’ is ideal Keswick Granite Company but after the quarries closed and provides volunteers who help to run the railway. This volunteer for families or groups of up to 6 passenger services continued to lose money, they decided to labour is essential to the continued success and prosperity of the people. Also in the village are the auction the railway in 1960. Railway enthusiasts, drawn together line. The relationship between the company and Society is very Pennington Hotel, several Bed & by the Parish Council, saved the line again. Colin Gilbert, Douglas good – new members and volunteers will find a relaxed, friendly Breakfast establishments and a Robinson and Sir Wavell Wakefield formed a new Railway welcome and an enjoyable social scene. camping & caravan site. Eskdale Company to operate the trains, with a Preservation Society for offers other accommodation options the line’s supporters. Because there were only two steam locos, close to the railway. the new Society raised funds for a new steam loco. From 1967 to this day ‘River Mite’ has worked a substantial proportion of steam Volu nteering As well as their work on the railway, volunteers enjoy an active social hauled services on the line. Volunteers from all parts of the country gather regularly at scene in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Events organised by and for Ravenglass to undertake a volunteers include special trains, meals, quizzes and games nights. With improved revenues, the railway was progressively improved huge variety of work to support and the track completely re-laid. New buildings were constructed the permanent staff. Work can Further details about volunteering and accommodation is available at Ravenglass and the railway workshops constructed steam engine be found for most ages and on the Society website at www.rerps.co.uk ‘Northern Rock’ for the centenary year of 1976. Operation of abilities, and both genders – the Railway was improved from 1977 by the pioneer use of a fact reflected by the existing radio based signalling, a system subsequently ‘family’ of over 100 active adopted by British Rail for some of volunteers. If you stay for a La’al Ratty its minor lines while, not every day has to be a volunteering day - many A Brief History members bring their friends and families and enjoy discovering La’al Ratty, as the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway (R&ER) is affectionately and exploring the local area known, is one of the greatest little trains in the World. It has given a combined with their time on the glorious ride through the mountains of the western Lake District for over railway. a century. In its adventurous history, it has faced closure several times and used three gauges of track. and still used During the period of daily steam trains, from March to October, today by Network Society members give invaluable assistance with operating the A 3ft gauge railway opened in 1875 to carry haematite iron ore from Rail. In 2005, the railway. Volunteer duties include guarding, preparing engines and mines in Eskdale to the Furness Railway at Ravenglass, worked by a Preservation Society built a new trains, staffing intermediate stations, litter picking and staffing the Manning Wardle 0-6-0 steam engine ‘Devon’. Passenger trains were diesel locomotive, named ‘Douglas railway museum and the preserved former main line signal box at launched a year later but the mines soon closed and the line was Ferreira’ after the General Manager of the Ravenglass. In winter, volunteers can be found working on the track, bankrupt. With the line neglected, the passenger service stopped in railway from 1961 to 1994. at the line side or in the engineering department maintaining the 1908 and freight trains in 1913. In 2007, a new station building opened at the Eskdale terminus high operational standards of the railway. If you have a special skill of the line – Dalegarth for Boot. The season of daily trains now we would be glad to find you work to suit. Training is provided in extends from March to October with up to five steam engines in use any role you wish to volunteer for, and you will have to demonstrate on the line at peak times. In winter, trains run most weekends and that you are competent to carry out safety-critical jobs. daily during the festive season.