CELEBRATIONS took place over the bank holiday weekend to mark the 100th birthday of the Ravenglass and Eskdale railway line.

Guests gathered at Ravenglass Station on Friday where a cake was cut at the Turntable Cafe to kick off the four-day bank holiday bonanza at the La’al Ratty railway.

The event also marked the completion of the first-stage refit of the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway museum at the station.

A range of locomotives – including Lydia and Soony from Perrygrove Railway, Britannia from Conwy Valley Railway, Red Gauntlet from the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, and Katie from the Kirklees Light Railway – travelled around the area’s oldest narrow gauge railway over the weekend.

Special 15-20 minute services to the Muncaster Mill stop on the line also took place to re-enact the journey the first narrow gauge trains made on the railway line.

Muncaster Mill is the point to which the RER line was laid out 100 years ago, to a 15in gauge. 

Rachel Bell, Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway’s marketing manager, said: “It was fabulous - the atmosphere was great. I think we got the balance right between a a family fun day and a heritage weekend. There was something there for everyone."

The weekend featured train rides, performances by Egremont Town band and Two-Headed Sheep Morris dancers. Representatives from the RSPB were also there.

Rachel said a highlight of the weekend was hearing the main line train blowing its whistle coming into the station and all the other trains replied.  

She added: “It is fantastic to be able to coincide this 100th birthday party with the opening of stage one of the new Ravenglass Museum and we thank everyone who has helped make that happen.”

The two stations at Ravenglass and Dalegarth were decked out with vintage bunting to help create a festival feel to the anniversary celebrations.

Celebration cakes were also available in both stations and children’s activities took place at Dalegarth.

The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Preservation Society had an exhibition and there was also the opportunity to meet Peter’s Railway author Chris Vine.

The new Ravenglass and Eskdale Museum taking shape is being funded by the Copeland Community Fund and FLAG.