I've just this evening arrived back from four nights in a tent (at my age!!) at Ravenglass filming the R&ER Gala celebrating the 100th birthday of River Esk - unfortunately not blessed by much in the way of good weather - but that's the Lake District for you! So - there should be a few more Ratty videos coming online in the next few days. Enjoy your visit to this lovely part of the world. Best wishes.
Great video as usual Tim! I would have been disappointed if the train I had booked was diesel hauled instead of steam,but its better than a cancelled train I suppose!
Thanks Stephen. One simply has to be philosophical on these occasions - I would have preferred to have travelled behind River Mite - and MUCH preferred to have filmed her - rather than a diesel box - but the alternative would have been to have been stuck at Ravenglass in the rain. Not an attractive proposition.
I’m a avid railway enthusiast but I’m very sad that some have decided to retain the draconian restrictions on travel put down to COVID. My view is that this is an excuse. My problem is that I live in the South East of England and travel, mostly by train, to visit the heritage lines. Given the current unreliability of trains I cannot always commit to forward booking. The result is that if my journey to a heritage line includes public transport and if that heritage line insists on prior booking, I just can’t take the risk so I don’t go. So here’s a plea to all heritage lines. Please also allow walk up travellers. Because given the current state of public transport uncertainty, one cannot always plan ahead. So don’t go on about reduced passenger numbers when the heritage lines make it so difficult for passengers to travel. I totally understand the increased costs. Particularly of coal. But if you make it more difficult for us “enthusiasts” to travel, then we will stop trying.
I sympathise - I've just returned from another day on La'al Ratty and, on the last train down the line there were just four other passengers and one staff member as well as myself. Official restrictions and reality are not always the same. Covid, I fear, has much to answer for.
