Come and enjoy a nice relaxing ride up the line with driver Ryan onboard River Mite. Running direct from Ravenglass right through to Dalegarth without stopping, this is a fantastic way to see what goes in to driving a steam train along what is affectionately known as La'al Ratty.
Enjoy the full Ravenglass collection here:
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Ravenglass to Dalegarth (Cab Ride) - • Cab Ride Ravenglass to...
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River Mite is a fantastic 2-8-2 steam locomotive, recently overhauled in 2021 and doing a fantastic job running along the superb 15" narrow gauge railway line that is the Ravenglass and Eskdale railway.
Along the journey you can see all the stops and halts at at Muncaster Mill, Miteside, Murthwaite, Irton Road, The Green, Fisherground and Beckfoot, however this is a direct train to Dalegarth so we just get to enjoy the full journey along the 7 mile (11.3 km) line.
Ravenglass and Eskdale railway operate throughout the year and run a number of special days too. It is worth visiting as the line is just spectacular, so is the lake district setting and especially the mountains surrounding the railway. Tickets are really good value and there is plenty to do.
ravenglass-railway.co.uk/
The railway uses the Radio Control Train Order signalling system. Outside Ravenglass station, the line is single track with passing loops at Miteside, Irton Road and Fisherground. Trains operate by radio communication between drivers and at Ravenglass signal box. At passing loops and the terminus station, drivers contact the controller, using "RANDER" reporting numbers (even numbers for up trains, and odd for down), to indicate that the train is within the loop and is clear of the preceding single track. To leave the loop, the driver contacts control to gain authorisation to enter the next single track section. No semaphore signals are used outside Ravenglass station. Points at passing loops are weighted with direction indicators, meaning that no human intervention is required and the points reset themselves automatically after the passage of a train when entering the points from a trailing direction when the points are set for the other rail line.
Elements of the operation were used by British Rail to cut costs on remote lines. What became known as Radio Electronic Token Block signalling shared features with the Ratty, such as centralised control, automatic points at loops, and on-train equipment rather than fixed equipment at remote locations.
Using the former Poultney tender chassis fitted to River Esk between 1928 and 1931, the new Preservation Society designed a 2-8-2 locomotive, which was built by Clarksons of York in 1966 and commissioned in May the following year. River Mite was delivered to Ravenglass by traction engine. River Mite is currently painted in the "Indian" red livery of the Furness Railway, with black lining and yellow lettering.
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