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Location notes
Small station inside the Lake District National Park on the scenic Cumbrian Coast Line from Carlisle to Lancaster via Barrow. The village is about 90 minutes south of Carlisle and 50 minutes north of Barrow. There is an adjacent interchange with the 15' gauge historic Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway, which travels for 7 miles up the valleys of Miterdale and Eskdale to the hamlet of Boot at the foot of the Scafells, England's highest mountains. The station has two platforms (one northbound and one southbound) and these are staggered, the southbound one being to the north of the other one. The southbound can be reached from the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway car park whilst the northbound one is conveniently next to The Ratty Arms pub across the way.
There is a footbridge to the south of both platforms leading from the main part of the village across to the playing field and the miniature railway, next to the obsolete mainline signal box, which is often opened up in high summer by R&ER volunteers. The footbridge is possibly the best vantage point and you can see for almost a mile to the north, well beyond the level crossing at Saltcoats.
There is a footbridge to the south of both platforms leading from the main part of the village across to the playing field and the miniature railway, next to the obsolete mainline signal box, which is often opened up in high summer by R&ER volunteers. The footbridge is possibly the best vantage point and you can see for almost a mile to the north, well beyond the level crossing at Saltcoats.
Railway type and traffic
Passenger services by Northern Rail are run by 156s (9 trains per weekday and 3 with a 153), 153s (3 trains per weekday and 3 with a 156) and 142s (2 trains per weekday).
Freight services are usually run by DRS 20s, 37s and occasionally 66s.
These include 6C51/6C52, the weekly Sellafield-Heysham P.S. return nuclear flask working on Thursdays, which goes south at 12:45 and north at 19:40.
6C53 (Crewe-Sellafield) runs from Tuesday-Saturday, passing north at about 09:20 during the week and at 08:50 on Saturday.
6K73 (Sellafield-Crewe) runs on Monday-Thursday and then again on Saturday, southbound at about 15:45 during the week and at 09:20 on Saturday.
Freight services are usually run by DRS 20s, 37s and occasionally 66s.
These include 6C51/6C52, the weekly Sellafield-Heysham P.S. return nuclear flask working on Thursdays, which goes south at 12:45 and north at 19:40.
6C53 (Crewe-Sellafield) runs from Tuesday-Saturday, passing north at about 09:20 during the week and at 08:50 on Saturday.
6K73 (Sellafield-Crewe) runs on Monday-Thursday and then again on Saturday, southbound at about 15:45 during the week and at 09:20 on Saturday.
Environment
The village itself is small and quiet and has a friendly atmosphere. A good deal of residents are involved with the small railway in one way or another and so any enthusiasts are welcomed. The countryside is breaktaking and a short walk can take you out onto the sands of the estuary of the Rivers Irt, Esk and Mite, each with a viaduct on the Cumbrian Coast Line, the one over the Mite being right next to the station. Eskmeals viaduct is a half hour walk over fields to the south.
Road directions
From the M6, Junction 36:
Head westbound onto the A590 until you reach Greenodd. Then take the A5092 to Broughton and finally the A595 north to Ravenglass, which is at a T-junction just after passing Muncaster Castle. The village and miniature railway are well signposted from the road.
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Ravenglass map co-ordinates
Head westbound onto the A590 until you reach Greenodd. Then take the A5092 to Broughton and finally the A595 north to Ravenglass, which is at a T-junction just after passing Muncaster Castle. The village and miniature railway are well signposted from the road.
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Ravenglass map co-ordinates
Parking
There is a large car park offering free parking all day (although if you plan to come on a busy weekend or Bank Holiday then arrive early!). Alternatively, the car park at the R&ER is £2 for two hours or £3 for all day. Both of these are safe places for your car to be left.
Public transport
Trains serve the station frequently throughout the day from Carlisle and Barrow. Some trains come from Lancaster and Preston, but you will usually have to change at Barrow after a TransPennine Express service from Manchester.
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Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Amenities
Ravenglass village has a lot to offer, with several pubs serving food and drink, a cafe on the "La'al Ratty" station and public toilets nearby.
Accommodation
There are a few Bed and Breakfasts and caravan/camp sites nearby, within five minutes walk of the station.
Sun Compass
Sun Compass using Suncalc by brought to you by Vladimir Agafonkin:
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Ravenglass
Streetmap links
Ravenglass general view map
Ravenglass close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Ravenglass
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Ravenglass
Googly map
Ravenglass general view map
Ravenglass close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Ravenglass
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Railway Gen Group
Photographic notes
From the platforms or the bridge you can get good photos of trains running in either direction with good lighting for most of the time.
Good angles are really either at the north end of the southbound platform (furthest from the ramp up from the car park) or on the signal box side of the footbridge. You can also have access to the steps of the signal box and occasionally it is opened up for viewing.
Good angles are really either at the north end of the southbound platform (furthest from the ramp up from the car park) or on the signal box side of the footbridge. You can also have access to the steps of the signal box and occasionally it is opened up for viewing.
General views - All photographs © Eliot Andersen unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 - Looking north
From the footbridge, the 156 is in the northbound platform.
Fig 2 - Looking south
From the steps of the former BR Signal box.
Fig 3 - Looking south
From the foot bridge, with the old BR signal box in view.
Fig 4 - Looking north
From the south bound platform.
Fig 5 - Looking south
From the south bound platform to the north bound platform.
Disclaimer
All information contained within this is site is © Trainspots. The images used on this site remain the property of the original photographer, as credited at the top of the page, and are used with their kind permission.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
