The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway is a 15 inch narrow gauge steam line which runs up the Eskdale valley in the western Lake District. It's a beautiful and secluded corner of England with a rich and historic past. The railway was built in the 19th century to bring iron ore from within sight of Scafell Pike, England's highest mountain. Originally a 3 foot gauge line, it was re-engineered to 15 inches in 1915 after a brief period of closure.
Today, the line's historic roots are no more than history. But the charm of these miniature steam engines, along with the spectacular landscape, are a pull for thousands of tourists a year who flock to enjoy a trip along the seven miles which link the coastal town of Ravenglass, once a Roman port, with Dalegarth, deep in the Eskdale valley.
A Journey on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway is available on DVD and Blu-Ray and features four titles. The real time journey to Dalegarth is captured by five cameras on board the newest of the line's steam locomotives, Northern Rock, built in 1976. There's a range of shots to enjoy, from an intimate view of the tiny cab and a high forward view including the smoke stack, to a track level shot which shows the automatic points system in action, a view forward from behind the locomotive, and an angle looking back down the length of the train. These different shots allow us to see everything that goes on along the way, and the pictures are accompanied by knowledgable narration which tells the story of this railway, and points out the sights along the way.
There's also a fascinating short programme which goes behind the scenes at the Ravenglass and Eskdale to meet some of the people who keep this railway running. There's an explanation of how the controls in the tiny cab of a steam locomotive work, and we meet a rather unusual driver's mate who has more enthusiasm for her job than even the keenest of the volunteers.
Finally we re-interpret the famous 1952 BBC film, London to Brighton in Four Minutes, to bring you high speed journeys from Ravenglass to Dalegarth and Dalegarth to Ravenglass.
A Journey on The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway is a fascinating insight into this intriguing narrow gauge steam railway. Our international award-winning team has pulled out all the stops to make this a production to remember. Shot in stunning high definition, the quality of the pictures shines through whether you're watching the DVD or Blu-Ray version. And our researchers have ensured that you'll learn a huge amount about this railway's history while you enjoy the programmes.
So come and join us for a ride on The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.
Produced by - Creative Imagineers
Running time - 73 minutes
Format - 16:9 widescreen
DVD or Blu-ray
Released - 2014