Editing Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway (section)

===Conversion to 15 inch gauge===
{{more citations needed section|date=November 2023}}
[[File:Ravenglass Eskdale Rly 1981.jpg|thumb|Ravenglass & Eskdale Rly 1981]]
In 1915, the abandoned railway was taken over by the model maker  [[Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke]] and his business partner Robert Proctor-Mitchel.  They began  [[Gauge conversion|converting]] the line to the {{Track gauge|15in}} gauge that it is today.  The first train operated over the regauged line on 28 August 1915, running initially to Muncaster Mill.<ref name=RailwayMagDec2008 /> By 1917, the entire line had been converted and trains were running along the whole length to Boot.  However, the gradients on the final section of the line proved to be too steep for the smaller locos, and the railway was cut back to Beckfoot in 1918.<ref name="1978 Handbook"/> Initially, services were operated using the [[Bassett-Lowke]]-built, 1/4 scale [[4-4-2 (locomotive)|4-4-2]] ''Sans Pareil''. This was later joined by another Bassett-Lowke loco, ''Colossus'' (a 4-6-2 version of ''Sans Pareil''), as well as 2 locos and rolling stock from [[Sir Arthur Heywood, 3rd Baronet|Sir Arthur Heywood]]'s [[Duffield Bank Railway|Duffield Bank]] line, following Sir Arthur's death in 1916. These were the 0-6-0 tank engine ''Ella'', and the [[0-8-0]] tank engine ''Muriel'', whose frames and running gear were later rebuilt as ''River Irt''.  Another Heywood loco, an 0-4-0 tank engine called ''Katie'', was acquired from the [[Eaton Hall Railway]] in Cheshire, whilst another 4-6-2 tender loco, ''Sir Aubrey Brocklebank'', was constructed for the railway, and named after [[Brocklebank baronets|the railway's financial backer]], a wealthy shipping owner who lived nearby at Irton Hall.

As well as passengers, the line transported goods and mail to and from the valley.  In 1922 a [[granite]] quarry was opened at Beckfoot, and the railway was used to transport the granite between Beckfoot Quarry and [[Murthwaite Halt railway station|a crushing plant at Murthwaite]]. From 1929, the track between Murthwaite and Ravenglass was converted to [[dual gauge]], with {{Track gauge|56.5in|allk=on}} track straddling the {{Track gauge|15in}} gauge rails.<ref name="1978 Handbook"/> A [[diesel locomotive]] was obtained in 1929 to work this section.