| rdfs:comment | - In 1865 a bill was submitted to the Council of Midgets to build a railway between Ravenglass (site of the biggest midget port of the time) to Eskdale, (site of several midget gem mines). The bill was approved and construction began almost immediately, The line was opened to freight and passengers in 1875 and was a great hit, carrying 50,000 tonnes of Midget gems and 300,000 midget passengers a year. The gauge used was 15 inches, which to a midget would seem like Standard gauge. Several trains were built in the Midget train works at Ravenglass, the majority are still working to this day.
- The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway opened on May 24th, 1875, its purpose being to ferry iron ore from workings near Boot to the coast at Ravenglass. On November 20th, 1876 the first passengers were carried. Built to a gauge of 3 feet (910mm), problems soon arose relating to the iron ore and the line was declared bankrupt as early as 1877. The line finally closed in 1913. In 2005 work started on the building of a new station and visitor centre at the Dalegarth terminus. The building was officially opened by Pete Waterman in April 2007.
- The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway is a 7 mile-long 15" gauge railway, and is the basis for the Arlesdale Railway. The railway starts off in Ravenglass on the Cumbrian Coast where it is connected to the main line. From Ravenglass, the railway goes downhill passing the River Mite until it reaches Muncaster Mill, where the line goes uphill along a ledge until it reaches Irton Road. From Irton Road, the line goes downhill again until it reaches Eskdale Green, and then, it climbs uphill until it reaches the terminus at Dalegarth. At Ravenglass and Dalegarth, there is a turntable for the locomotives whilst at Ravenglass there is the engine sheds, carriage sheds, workshops as well as a public house called "The Ratty Arms" which is housed in the station building on the mainline platform. Also, at
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| abstract | - The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway opened on May 24th, 1875, its purpose being to ferry iron ore from workings near Boot to the coast at Ravenglass. On November 20th, 1876 the first passengers were carried. Built to a gauge of 3 feet (910mm), problems soon arose relating to the iron ore and the line was declared bankrupt as early as 1877. The line finally closed in 1913. Unused for two years, in 1915 the miniature railway engineer W. J. Bassett-Lowke and his friend R. Proctor-Mitchell, (representing Narrow Gauge Railways Ltd) acquired the line as a base for testing their little locomotives under fairly harsh operating conditions. By 1916 the re-gauged track (15"/381mm) ran as far as Irton Road, while during the following year the miniature trains were running the full length of the line. Quarrying recommenced on the line near Beckfoot and granite blocks were transported to Murthwaite, where they were crushed for use mainly as road stone and railway ballast. By 1946 ownership had transferred to the Keswick Granite Company, who decided in 1953 to cease quarrying operations. With the exception of the war years passenger traffic continued throughout. However, in 1958 and again in 1959 the line and fittings were offered for sale but, without any serious potential purchaser, it was announced that the 1960 season would be the last. The railway was to be sold by auction in September. The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Preservation Society was formed by enthusiasts but hopes were not high. Fortunately, two interested parties, (Colin Gilbert, a Midlands stockbroker and Sir Wavell Wakefield, a local landowner) stepped in on the day of the auction with the balance of the purchase price. In 1968 the railway moved on, becoming an integral part of the Wakefield family business in the Lake District. Much work had already been done to catch up with the backlog of maintenance, new coaches had been built and the Preservation Society had funded the building of a new locomotive, the River Mite. Further major works continued, with Ravenglass station being re-modelled and a further locomotive, Northern Rock was built in the company's workshops, entering service in 1976. In 2005 work started on the building of a new station and visitor centre at the Dalegarth terminus. The building was officially opened by Pete Waterman in April 2007.
- The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway is a 7 mile-long 15" gauge railway, and is the basis for the Arlesdale Railway. The railway starts off in Ravenglass on the Cumbrian Coast where it is connected to the main line. From Ravenglass, the railway goes downhill passing the River Mite until it reaches Muncaster Mill, where the line goes uphill along a ledge until it reaches Irton Road. From Irton Road, the line goes downhill again until it reaches Eskdale Green, and then, it climbs uphill until it reaches the terminus at Dalegarth. At Ravenglass and Dalegarth, there is a turntable for the locomotives whilst at Ravenglass there is the engine sheds, carriage sheds, workshops as well as a public house called "The Ratty Arms" which is housed in the station building on the mainline platform. Also, at Ravenglass, there are two standard gauge coaches, which have being converted into holiday homes.
- In 1865 a bill was submitted to the Council of Midgets to build a railway between Ravenglass (site of the biggest midget port of the time) to Eskdale, (site of several midget gem mines). The bill was approved and construction began almost immediately, The line was opened to freight and passengers in 1875 and was a great hit, carrying 50,000 tonnes of Midget gems and 300,000 midget passengers a year. The gauge used was 15 inches, which to a midget would seem like Standard gauge. Several trains were built in the Midget train works at Ravenglass, the majority are still working to this day. In 1966 however the railway was in trouble, The midget gem mines had closed and, with the law on segregation between Midgets and normal sized people lifted passenger numbers we're falling. However the Ravenglass and Eskdale railway society took it over as a tourist attraction in 1967 and it is now the only tourist attraction in the Lake District.
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