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Welcome

The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway is one of the oldest and longest narrow gauge railways in England. It is affectionately and locally known as ‘La’al Ratty’, which means ‘little railway’ in the olde Cumbrian dialect. The line was originally built in 1873 and boasts a fascinating history. It is one of the world’s oldest and longest surviving narrow gauge railways and was the first public narrow gauge railway in England. Our main terminus at Ravenglass sits within two UNESCO World Heritage sites, The Lake District National Park and Frontiers of the Roman Empire. 

Watch the video: A trip on 'La'al Ratty' through the Eskdale Valley!
Steam Engine 'Northern Rock' departing Ravenglass Railway Station

Hearing

The fire alarm has flashing lights.
We have a hearing loop in Cafes and Shops and Ticket Offices.
Some staff have disability awareness training.

Visual

Full-height windows have contrast markings.
The walls and the doors have high colour contrast.
We have display information in large print.
Clear signage is used throughout the site with pictograms where appropriate
The menu is in large print and large print.
We have information in large print.

General

We have a complimentary ticket policy for personal assistants.
There is a public toilet for disabled visitors.
Some staff have disability awareness training.
We have emergency evacuation procedures for disabled visitors.

Getting here

Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway
Ravenglass
CA18 1SW

Travel by public transport

You can get to Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway by train.
The nearest train station is Ravenglass Main Line Train Station. The train station is 0.1 miles / 0.2 km from Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.

The mainline Ravenglass railway station is positioned adjacent to our Ravenglass station. When arriving on the southbound platform, it is just a 45-second walk to our site!

Travel by taxi

You can get a taxi with Gosforth Taxis Ltd by calling 01946725308.

Parking

We have a car park. There are accessible parking spaces. The parking is less than 50 metres from the main entrance. Parking is not free.
There is a drop-off point at the main entrance. The drop-off point has a dropped kerb.
From the car park to the entrance, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp.
The route is 2070mm wide, or more.

There is level access available from the car park to the main entrance which is a tarmac surface. Disabled parking spots are situated right next to both the museum and ticket office entrances.

Disabled parking spaces next to the ticket office Disabled parking spaces next to the museum

Arrival

Path to main entrance

From the street to the main entrance, there is level access.
There is a permanent ramp.
The path is 2070mm wide, or more.
The path is sloped.

Main entrance

The main entrance has level access.
There is a permanent ramp.
The door is 1470mm wide.
The main door is side hung and manual.

The main entrance to the ticket office has a slight step up (15cm from the ground). This is a single doorway that is 74cm wide at its narrowest.

Level access to the ticket office and shop is available using the walkway on the left of the building. Here both doors open up to provide an entrance that is 147cm wide.

Watch the video: Ticket office level access walkthrough
Ticket office from the car park Side route to ticket office with level access Double opening doors to ticket office for wheelchair access

Getting around inside

We have contrast markings on all full-height windows and high colour contrast between walls and doorframes.
Colour contrast between wall and doorframe Contrast markings on full length windows

Ticket/ information desk

Ticket Office and Shop (Ravenglass)

From the main entrance to the desk, there is level access. The route is 1470mm wide, or more.
The door is 1470mm wide, or more.

The desk height is 104cm from the ground at its lowest.

Inside the Ravenglass ticket office and shop

Ticket/ information desk

Ticket office and shop (Dalegarth)

From the main entrance to the desk, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp. The route is 900mm wide, or more.
The door is 900mm wide, or more.
The desk has a low section.

Two points of entry for wheelchair users, one with 2 doors that can be opened for ease of entry (206cm).

The lower section of the counter is 72cm high with the rest of the counter being 89cm high.

A hearing loop is available at the counter.

Dalegarth gift shop interior Hearing loop at Dalegarth gift shop and ticket office

Things to See and Do

We have a complimentary ticket policy for personal assistants.
We have display information in: large print .
Clear signage is used throughout the site with pictograms where appropriate

Museum

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp. The route is 870mm wide, or more. The door is 870mm wide.
Some display information is low, for wheelchair users. There is a hearing loop.
Videos have subtitles.

Both doorways to the museum can be opened up and held open on a latch to provide an even wider point of access. There is a ramped walkway through the museum with a width of 127cm. There are some smaller gaps in between a few of the exhibit cases, with a width of 104cm. More narrow areas of the route can be missed out by retracing tracks a few metres. 

There are a series of steps from the upper section of the museum down to the lower museum. Those with level access requirements may double back on themselves and use the ramp to access this area. 

The lower museum contains a few small divots where tracks run through the museum. These small dips are negotiable in a wheelchair.

Museum walkway with slight incline Museum walkway with a width of 127cm Level access to carriage exhibit Notice for those with level access needs to use the ramp Tracks in the floor of the lower museum

Turntable Cafe (Ravenglass)

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. The route is 1550mm wide, or more. The door is 400mm wide.
Some display information is low, for wheelchair users. There are seats.
There is a hearing loop.

Cafe doorway has a slight 3cm lip. Doorway can be opened up to provide a wider entrance. The most narrow walkway in the cafe is 410mm. Dogs are permitted in the cafe. The counter height in the cafe is 880mm.

The height of the tables in the cafe is 740mm from the ground. The seat of the chairs are 440mm from the ground. There is outside seating available.

Turntable café indoor seating Slight lip at the café doorway Outdoor seating at Turntable Café

Fellbites Café (Dalegarth)

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp. The route is 900mm wide, or more. The door is 900mm wide.
Some display information is low, for wheelchair users. There are seats.
There is a hearing loop.

The Fellbites Cafe has three points of entry. From the car park, there is level access to the downstairs seating area through the doors. Both of these doors can be opened for ease of access.From here there is no level access to upstairs.

To access the upstairs section of the cafe, there is a ramp from the car park heading towards the right of the building up to the road. From here, there is level access to the upstairs section of the station.

From the platform, there is level access to the cafe building through the main cafe door (108cm) or the side ticket office door (90cm).

There is outdoor seating available on the platform, next to the car park and alongside the building.

There is a lowered section of the cafe counter which is 75cm from the ground.

 

Side entrance to Dalegarth ticket office and shop Ramp access from the car park up to the platform and upstairs section of the café and shop. Lowered counter section at Fellbites café Outdoor seating at Fellbites Café

Accessible carriage on the train

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a portable ramp. The route is 1120mm wide, or more. The door is 1120mm wide.
Some display information is low, for wheelchair users. There are seats.

The accessible carriage can be accessed from the platform via a portable ramp (77cm wide) or by being wheeled in over the slight lip. 

The doorway to the accessible carriage is 112cm wide with the carriage interior having a width of 99cm.

If you have any further questions regarding our accessible carriage or any other aspects of your visit please give us a call on 01229 717171

Portable ramp access to accessible carriage Accessible carriage interior Accessible carriage notice

Public toilet

Disabled Toilet and Baby Changing Room (Ravenglass)

There is a public toilet for disabled visitors.
From the main entrance to the public toilet, there is level access. The route is 1550mm wide, or more.
The toilet door is 940mm wide.
The direction of transfer onto the toilet is to the right.
There is 1200mm at the side of the toilet. There is 960mm in front of the toilet. The toilet seat is 480mm high. The toilets have handrails.

The sink height in this bathroom is 80cm from the ground.

Entrance to the disabled toilet at Ravenglass station Disabled toilet at Ravenglass station

Public toilet

Downstairs disabled toilet at Dalegarth

There is a public toilet for disabled visitors.
From the main entrance to the public toilet, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp.
The route is 1040mm wide, or more.
The toilet door is 940mm wide.
The direction of transfer onto the toilet is to the right.
There is 680mm at the side of the toilet. There is 1100mm in front of the toilet. The toilet seat is 480mm high. The toilets have handrails.

The sink in this toilet is 63cm from the ground.

Disabled toilet downstairs at Dalegarth

Public toilet

Dalegarth station disabled toilet

There is a public toilet for disabled visitors.
From the main entrance to the public toilet, there is level access. The route is 970mm wide, or more.
The toilet door is 970mm wide.
The direction of transfer onto the toilet is to the left.
There is 790mm at the side of the toilet. There is 1030mm in front of the toilet. The toilet seat is 460mm high. The toilets have handrails.

The sink is 71cm from the ground.

Dalegarth station disabled toilet

Shop

Ravenglass Ticket Office and Shop

From the main entrance to the shop, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp. The route is 2070mm wide, or more. The door is 1470mm wide.
The route through the shop is 800mm wide, or more.

The height of the counter in the shop is 1040mm from the ground. The shop has wide walkways and plenty of space for a wheelchair. There is a hearing loop available at the counter in the shop.

Dalegarth Gift shop interior

Place to eat and drink

Turntable Café (Ravenglass Station)

From the main entrance to the dining area, there is level access. The route is 1550mm wide, or more. The door is 400mm wide.
To get to a table, there are no steps.
The menu is offered in large print.
There is no background music.
We cater for vegetarian, gluten free (celiacs), lactose free (dairy free), nut free and vegan specific diets.

Our menus have an 'allergen key', highlighting key ingredients and allergens that are in each dish.

Allergen and Ingredient key on menus Wheelchair and high-chairs available in the cafe

Place to eat and drink

Fellbites Café (Dalegarth Station)

From the main entrance to the dining area, there is level access. The route is 900mm wide, or more. The door is 1080mm wide.
To get to a table, there are no steps.
The menu is offered in large print.
The route through the dining area is 800mm wide, or more.
There is no background music.
We cater for vegetarian, gluten free (celiacs), lactose free (dairy free), nut free and vegan specific diets.

Our menus have an 'allergen key', highlighting key ingredients and allergens that are in each dish.

The indoor tables are 73cm from the ground and the seats of the chairs are 43cm from the ground.

The outdoor tables are 71cm from the ground and the outside chairs are 43cm from the ground.

The cafe counter has a lowered section with a height 75cm

Outdoor seating at Dalegarth Fellbites Café counter Fellbites café interior

Getting around outside

Dalegarth Picnic Area

Some tables have space for wheelchair users. You can bring your own food to the picnic area.

Tables are accessible via a small area of grass

Dalegarth Picnic area

Ravenglass Playground Area

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp. The route is 1250mm wide, or more. The entrance is 1250mm wide.
Walkway up to the playground from the station Entrance to the playground

Dalegarth playground

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. The route is 1250mm wide, or more. The entrance is 1250mm wide.

Accessible over a grass surface

Outdoor playground at Dalegarth

Customer care support

We provide wheelchairs. Wheelchairs are free.
We have a hearing loop in Cafes and Shops and Ticket Offices.

Adapted accessible carriages for wheelchairs

Emergency evacuation procedures

We have emergency evacuation procedures for disabled visitors.
The fire alarm has flashing lights.

Customer care support

Some staff have disability awareness training.
We have information in large print.
We have other services for people with accessibility requirements.

Familiarisation visits are available on request

Guide dogs and service dogs are welcome at the railway

We have a wheelchair that can be borrowed when on-site with us. Please enquire in advance if you would like to use the wheelchair when visiting the railway.

 

Guide info
Any information, comments and views made available to users via this Accessibility Guide are provided directly from third party business operators. VisitEngland and VisitScotland do not endorse or validate this information. Any reliance on this Accessibility Guide is at your own risk. This guide is not intended to be a substitute for users making their own checks, inquiries and investigations directly with the business operators prior to making any booking or visiting the venue.