The scenic Cumbrian Coast line is a popular destination for diesel hauled railtours and many stop at Ravenglass to allow their passengers time to enjoy the delights of La'al Ratty, found 'over the fence'.

As well as the Ratty, Ravenglass is also served by the National Rail Network. The village is a stop on the scenic Cumbrian Coast line between Barrow-in-Furness and Carlisle. There is a varied range of main line passenger and freight trains passing through Ravenglass - 'over the fence' from the Ratty.

The scenic Cumbrian Coast line is a popular destination for steam hauled railtours and many stop at Ravenglass to allow their passengers time to enjoy the delights of La'al Ratty, found 'over the fence'.

Images of the former Coniston station footbridge that has been dumped in Ravenglass car park since the Ravenglass station remodelling in winter 2003/4 had seen it removed after 20+ years as a feature of the station. The bridge was sold on internet auction site Ebay in May 2008 for £1,200 and left the railway for a new home in Middlesex on 11th November 2008. Photos taken on Sunday 9th March 2008.

Greenly-designed, Bassett-Lowke-built Class 30 Atlantic 'Count Louis', running as long scrapped sister 'Sans Pareil', returned to the Ratty for the Narrow Gauge Volunteers Gathering on 8th November 2008 and double headed a pair of trains with fellow Ravenglass based Greenly-designed, Bassett-Lowke-built Class 30 Atlantic 'Synolda'.

Images from the official opening of the new Eskdale terminus 'Dalegarth for Boot' station on Saturday 21st April 2007 by pop mogul and rail enthusiast Pete Waterman OBE.

On Sunday 26th August 2007, a group of Australian rail enthusiasts chartered an evening double-headed steam train with River Mite and Northern Rock in charge. I went along for the ride!

Douglas Ferreira left the Ratty for the first ever time to visit the Bure Valley Railway in Norfolk for their 'Super Power Gala' weekend on 13th & 14th September 2008. The visit was a great success and Doug enjoyed the sustained running at 20mph!

After a week of continuos hot sunny weather, a large lineside fire took hold adjacent to Miteside Loop on Saturday 9th June 2007. The fire blazed for 6 hours and was fought by fire crews from Seascale and Bootle and a team of railway volunteers. The fire had started after Northern Rock had passed with the 1130 Ravenglass to Dalegarth - a heavily loaded 10 coach train that morning.

Photos from the hugely successful Spring Bank Holiday Gala held on 4th, 5th & 6th May 1996. Visiting engines included Samson from the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway (RHDR) in Kent, a ZB from the Bure Valley Railway (BVR) in Norfolk and little engines John, Little Giant and Yvette. Synolda also came out of the museum for a play!

Highlights of the brilliant 'Ratty 125' celebrations - marking the 125th anniversary of the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway - between 21st April and 1st May 2000. Visiting engines came from across the country and intensive, varied timetables operated on each day. There was a cavalcade (in the rain!) and even a standard gauge visitor.

Photos from the gala held to celebrate 125 years of passenger services on La'al Ratty. In addition to the home fleet, Synolda came out of the museum and Sian, Sandy and John were visitors to the railway. 5th, 6th & 7th May 2001.

Photos of the spectacular Gala of Steam from Friday 2nd to Monday 5th May 2008 when visiting engines came from Kent, Norfolk and Lancashire, and a total of 11 engines ran on the Ratty over the four days (7 steam and 4 diesel). The finale of the gala was a very special triple header - 'The Romney Eskdale Paxman' - photos of which can be seen in a different collection.

Pictures of the hugely popular Halloween Ghost Trains that ran at 4.45pm from Ravenglass on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th October 2006 with River Esk in charge. During the round trip in the dark, several ghosts and nasty creatures appeared at the intermediate stations and at the lineside. The carriages were especially decorated for the trips and many of the station staff and traincrew joined in the fun with suitable costumes.

The Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway Preservation Society owns a hostel for volunteers located on Main Street in Ravenglass. All pictures July 2009 following a major £100K+ refurbishment and repaint.

An official visit by the Heywood Society to La'al Ratty on Saturday 10th October 2009 resulted in a mini-gala including a second visit by restored 'Count Louis' and a steaming for Synolda.

From my personal collection. A mixed bag of old photos of the Ratty from before I knew it!

Images of the La'al Ratty prior to 1915 when the track gauge was 3ft and the line ran from Ravenglass to Boot.

A mixed bag of undated pictures from around the railway. Most taken in the period between 1987 and 1994.

A couple of photos of the railway in 1961 from my personal collection.

Pictures from 1962 from my personal collection.

Images of the railway in 1963. From my personal collection.

Images of the railway during 1964 from my personal collection.

From my personal collection, some photos from 1965.

Images of the railway in 1966. From my personal collection.

1967 views of the railway from my personal collection.

Images of the Ratty in 1968 from my personal collection.

Photos of the railway in 1969 from my personal collection

Images of the Ratty in 1970 from my personal collection.

Images from 1971 of the railway from my personal collection.

The railway in 1972. Photos from my personal collection.

Photos of the railway in 1973 from my personal collection.

Pictures on 1st June 1979 - my first ever visit to the Ratty! Photos by David Dixon.

Pictures from the very wet cavalcade day in 1981. Pictures by David Dixon.

Photos of the railway in 1982.

Some images of the railway in 1983.

Some images of the Ratty in 1984 from my personal collection.

Images from around the railway in 1986.

Images from around the railway in 1989.

Photos of the railway during 1990, including the visit of 'Black Prince' from the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway as cover for 'River Irt', away at the Gateshead Garden Festival for the season.

Railway images from 1991.

Images from the railway in 1992.

Photos from 1994 of the railway at work.

Shots of the railway in 1995

1996 pictures of the railway.

A selection of photos from 1997

Views from around the railway during 1998.

Shots of the railway from 1999.

Images from around the railway during Millenium year.

Photos from around the railway during 2002.

A selection of photos of the railway at work throughout 2003

Images from around the railway during 2004.

Photos from around the railway during 2005

Images from around the railway throughout 2006.

Views of the railway during 2007.

Images of the railway in 2008.

Images of the railway taken during 2009.

Photos of things that don't really fit anywhere else - true of so many things (and people!) on the Ratty!

Pictures of the permanent way base of the railway - and former stone crushing plant - at the isolated Murthwaite, between Miteside Loop and Irton Road. All pictures on 5th May 2008.

Photos charting the construction and first runs of the new diesel locomotive 'Douglas Ferreira' built by TMA Engineering of Birmingham for the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway Preservation Society. Ordered on Saturday 24th July 2004 and launched into service on Sunday 24th July 2005.

Pictures of the bits of Ratty no longer in use - the steeply-graded 3ft gauge line to Boot and the interesting 3ft gauge line beyond the current Dalegarth terminus that linked to a 2ft gauge tramway at the Gill Force mines on the other side of the valley. Also pictures of the sharply curved line that was replaced by Gilberts Cutting.

Images of the permament way on the Ratty - the track and signalling.

Meetings of the two La'al Ratty engines owned by the Ravenglass & Eskdale Preservation Society - steam engine 'River Mite' and diesel engine 'Douglas Ferreira'.

Images of the two standard-gauge Pullman coaches, Elmira and Maid of Kent, at Ravenglass used as camping coaches.

After the success of its contribution to the Liverpool Garden Festival in 1984 (see separate collection), the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway loaned River Irt and Northern Rock to the 1990 Gateshead Garden Festival. The 2km line ran in a figure of eight between the Riverside and Dunston areas of the festival. New coaches were also built for the Gateshead line - the infamous Maxi's that subsequently moved to Ravenglass and remain in service today.

The Liverpool Garden Festival ran from 2nd May to 14th October 1984. A 3km long, 15" gauge railway was constructed around the site with four stations at Festival Hall, Dingle, Fulwood and The Mill. There was also a branch line from Herculaneum to Play Centre (adjacent to Festival Hall station). River Irt, Shelagh of Eskdale and the Silver Jubilee railcar went to Merseyside, on loan from the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway. Colour pictures courtesy of http://miniaturerailwayphotos.fotopic.net/.

Photos of the engineering heart of the railway - the main workshop in Ravenglass and the carriage repair facility.

A collection dedicated to the locomotives of the Ravenglass & Eskdale railway - steam, diesel and electric - past and present.

Northern Rail have two Class 156 DMU's promoting the Ratty. The first unit, 156420, was named 'La'al Ratty - Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway' on 5th July 2003 during a short pause at Ravenglass while working the 1032 Lancaster - Carlisle. The second unit, 156461, has been adorned with a wrap livery of photographs of the Ratty and was launched into service on Wednesday 16th August 2006 while working the 1006 Preston - Carlisle. Since then, both have travelled widely across the Northern Rail network, often pursued by me!

Canaltime run a fleet of 150 timeshare narrow boats on the canals of England and Wales and number 141 is named ‘La’al Ratty’! The boat is based at Sawley Marina, near Long Eaton in Nottinghamshire. Keep your eyes peeled next time you're near a canal – you might just see my favorite narrow gauge railway go chugging past!

The people, staff and volunteers, of the Ratty that give the railway its personality.

On 3rd & 4th October 1998, River Mite, Northern Rock and Cyril made a historic visit to the Parkeisenbahn in the German city of Dresden - the capital of Saxony. The 5.6km line, opened in 1951 and arranged in a continuos balloon loop, runs within the 500 acre Grosser Garten (Great Garden) - the oldest and biggest park in the city.

Photos of the exhibits, signs and models to be found inside the La'al Ratty railway museum at Ravenglass. The building is the former southbound main line station building. The model exhibits often jump their tracks when a Southbound frieght train thunders past! All photos May 2006.

An amazing collection of photos, some in colour, from the camera of Douglas Elliot Scott (1894-1971) who was the Third Engineer at Clarkson's (Model Makers) in Layerthorpe, York at the time that River Mite was being rebuilt there in 1966. Photos kindly loaned to the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway Preservation Society by his grandaughter Jane Full (nee Scott).

Photos of River Mite during a visit to Kent and the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway Steam & Diesel Gala on 10th & 11th May 2003.

River Mite, owned by the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway Preservation Society, received a heavy overhaul after 40 years service on the Ratty. The rolling chassis was sent away to TMA Engineering in Birmingham in early September 2006 and returned to Ravenglass on 5th April 2007 for the boiler to be re-fitted and extensive running-in trials to take place. River Mite was officially re-dedicated and returned to service on Sunday 22nd July 2007 - see alternative collection.

Photos of the re-dedication of River Mite on Sunday 22nd July 2007, following its major winter overhaul (see other collection) and celebrating its 40 years of front line service to the Ratty.

A photographic log of the carriages, wagons and other wheeled vehicles of the Ratty.

A visit by HRH Princess Alexandra to the Ratty on Thursday 17th September 2009. After opening the new play area at Dalegarth for Boot station and meeting invited guests, she travelled down to Ravenglass by Royal Train!

A selection of photos recording the operationally interesting Santa Trains that run each December. Each steam-hauled Santa Train starts from Ravenglass. It runs to Miteside Loop, where Santa arrives by steam-hauled sleigh and transfers to the Santa Train for the ride to Dalegarth and back. At Miteside Loop, Santa reboards his sleigh and disappears into the woods. The Santa Train returns to Ravenglass. Photos from the 2002 & 2003 seasons.

Scaffolding has been a prominent part of Ravenglass station during the winter of 2007/8.

Heavy snow is rare in West Cumbria, but on 12th March 2006 the Ratty was swamped by a heavy overnight snowfall. Railway foreman Neil Dickinson took Shelagh of Eskdale up the line. Photos courtesy of Neil.

A series of photos recording the construction of the new station building at Dalegarth (Winter 2004/2005), the demolition of the old station building (Winter 2005/2006) and the associated changes to the station site and landscaping. The station, now named 'Dalegarth for Boot', was offically re-opened by Pete Waterman on Saturday 21st April 2007.

Photos recording the extensive changes made to the Ravenglass station site during the winter of 2003/2004, including the removal of the footbridge, major trackwork alterations and the creation of a walkway around the turntable.

The stations of the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway each have their own individual character and are delightful places to wait for a narrow gauge steam train.

Home of Sir Arthur Heywood's legendary 15" gauge railway of 1896, the spectacular grounds of Eaton Hall now house a 1.5 mile long private line consisting of a large loop with a spur leading to the terminus station and engine shed, opened in July 2000. Photos from the 2008 open day on Saturday 9th August, when Synolda visited from Ravenglass.

The Rhyl Miniature Railway in North Wales hosted a 'Little Giant Gala' from 23rd - 25th May 2009. Joining home engines Joan and Cagney were visitors Red Dragon from Windmill Farm and Synolda from the Ratty. Pictures of the latter in the unusual surroundings of this 1 mile long line around a boating lake taken on the afternoon of 25th May.

The finale of the 2008 Gala of Steam, and one of the highlights of the whole event, was 'The Romney Eskdale Paxman' triple header on the evening of 5th May with Paxman trio River Esk, Hurricane and Typhoon pulling a train of NINE open coaches!!!

Pictures of the 'Arlesdale Railway' Thomas event held on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th October 1997 with visiting engine 'John'.

Highlights of the Thomas event held in the Ratty's 125th year, over the weekend of 14th and 15th October 2000.

The Thomas and Friends event held over the weekend of 15th & 16th May 2004 when fabulous spring weather blessed Western Cumbria.

Pictures from the second Thomas event of 2006 on Saturday 30th September and Sunday 1st October.

Pictures of the second 2007 Thomas event held over the weekend of 6th & 7th October. This was the last such event. The railway's application to hold an event in 2008 was rejected by the company issuing the licenses.

Over the years many engines from other railways have visited the Ratty for overhauls, maintenance or test running. Just a few are seen here.

Some of the varied animal wildlife that can be seen around the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway.