Place Ravenglass Managed by R&ER Operated by R&ER | Area Copeland, Cumbria Owned by R&ER Platforms in use 3 (platform 2 disused) | |
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1876 Opened (Standard gauge) Owner Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway | ||
Ravenglass Heritage Railway Station is the Western terminus of the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway. It is situated to the east of Ravenglass main line railway station, which is itself a station on the Cumbrian Coast Line. The facilities at the railway station include toilets, under-cover platforms, booking office and café. The railway station complex incorporates 2 locomotive sheds, a carriage shed, a signal box, managerial offices and 2 camping coaches; along with the railway station itself.
Contents
History
Ravenglass heritage railway station was once a freight depot, when the line from Ravenglass to Miteside was 3-ft gauge.
Preservation
It was reopened as part of the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway in 1960. Before this, it was a goods yard in which wagons were weighed and emptied into the standard gauge line, which is now the Cumbrian Coast Line.
Present day
Today, Ravenglass station is a very busy station, with all of the passengers departing and alighting at this station. Consequently, there is always a minimum of one booking office clerk at Ravenglass station, when trains are in operation. The shop and booking office are adjacent to the car park. Memorabilia of the railway can be purchased also at the booking office complex.
There is a café and toilets on platform 1, adjacent to each other. Both platforms are under-cover and are decorated with various hanging plants, which are watered when the time permits of the volunteers. If you arrive early before the first train of the day, volunteers can be seen cleaning the rolling stock and checking the Daily Report Form sheets associated with each carriage set. Each train set is equipped with a variety of safety-critical appliances and material, including brakes on nearly all carriages and in the guards' compartment a first-aid kit, sanding equipment, fire-beaters and a rander board. The driver must have a separate rander board in order to proceed out of the station, on to the main line. Rander boards will only be given to the driver by the Controller, once the single-line section from Ravenglass to Miteside loop is considered to be occupied by that particular train, so as to meet the legal requirements of fixed absolute block railway signalling systems.
The signal box has an antenna protruding out of the signal box, which transmits and receives signals to and from locomotives on the line, via a booster and descrambler at Irton Road station.
Accessibility
Wheelchair users who wish to board the train here must pre-book a wheelchair space prior to the day of travel.