Ravenglass Railway Museum

About the museum

Ravenglass Railway Museum tells the story of the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, known as Ratty. It opened in 1978 to show a collection of objects that had been displayed at the railway’s centenary in 1976, and it was first housed in the former Furness Railway platform shelter at the main-line station. Between 2015 and 2017 it was redeveloped with Heritage Lottery Fund support and extended with a train shed that lets the locomotives and rolling stock be shown in stable conditions. It reopened to the public on 24 June 2017.

The railway itself was built in 1875 as a 3 foot gauge line serving iron ore mines in Eskdale and closed in 1913. In 1915 the model-maker W. J. Bassett-Lowke and friends leased it and re-gauged the track to 15 inches, which is still the gauge today. When the whole line was put up for sale in 1960 it was bought at auction by a preservation society. It now carries over 100,000 passengers a year on a 7 mile route to Dalegarth.

The permanent displays cover Eskdale iron mining, the old line, the narrow gauge story, the quarry years and the railway’s preservation. Visitors can use an interactive steam engine exhibit built from a sectioned boiler and see locomotives such as Synolda and Katie. The collection holds about 6,000 objects and a large photographic archive. The museum also looks after the old Furness Railway signal box, which opens on special occasions.

Highlights

• Locomotives including Synolda and Katie, an 1896 engine returned to working order
• The Big Saloon coach rebuilt from the last remains of the original line
• Interactive steam engine exhibit made from a sectioned boiler
• Displays on Eskdale iron mining and the Roman port of Ravenglass
• Furness Railway signal box of 1873, opened on special occasions

Permanent exhibitions

• Hard Graft – The life and work of Eskdale iron ore miners.
• Owd Rat Trod – The origins of the 3 foot gauge railway in 1875, with tickets, models and the reconstructed Big Saloon coach.
• How does a steam engine work? – An interactive exhibit made from a sectioned boiler of the locomotive River Esk, where visitors try the controls.

Founded

1978

Operated by

Ravenglass Railway Museum (registered charity)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Entry is free. The museum relies on visitor donations.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Disabled parking spaces are available outside the museum. The museum publishes an accessibility statement and has a listing on AccessAble. Only guide dogs are allowed inside; a dog station with water is outside, and dogs are welcome on the trains and outdoor areas.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations

Families are welcome and children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. The museum is a member of Kids in Museums, has hands-on interactive displays and runs family events and trails in school holidays.

Getting there & parking

From the M6, follow the brown Western Lake District signs and then the A595 to Ravenglass.

Amenities & dining

• Café

Hot and cold drinks, meals and snacks are available from the café on Platform 1 of the railway station when the railway is operating.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit