Opened
in 1875 to bring iron ore to the Furness Railway, the Ravenglass and
Eskdale Railway or "La'al Ratty" as it is affectionately known,
started carrying passengers the following year.
The railway has had a very unsettled history since the iron traffic
dwindled to nothing so the line was in financial difficulty and granite
quarries were opened to provide traffic.
The 3 foot
gauge track was closed during 1913 but was unexpectedly re-opened by
the famous model-maker, Mr. Bassett-Lowke, the next year on the even
narrower gauge of 15 inches.
The tiny
trains were soon carrying goods again and passengers into and out of
the Valley and the granite quarries were busy through until 1953 when
they closed.
The railway
could not survive solely on the tourist trade that there was then and
was finally bought by a group of enthusiasts, backed by Colin Gilbert
and Sir Wavell Wakefield M.P., at an auction sale in 1960.
A new company
now operates the railway, supported by members of the Preservation Society.
The nearly derelict line has been improved greatly since then and is
now one of the foremost tourist attractions in the North-West of England.