Eden Valley Railway
The Eden Valley Railway is a small standard-gauge heritage line based at Warcop in Cumbria, on a preserved section of the former North Eastern Railway Eden Valley line from Kirkby Stephen to Penrith.
The trackbed remained in use long after passenger closure as a Ministry of Defence siding serving Warcop military training camp, which gave the alignment continued life and made preservation possible. The preservation society now operates over a short demonstration section, with long-term ambitions to extend along the surviving alignment.
History
The Eden Valley Railway Society was formed in 1995. After acquisition of trackbed and station infrastructure at Warcop, the first preserved trains ran in 2006. Restoration of the original NER station building has been a major focus of the society's work.
Original line history
The Eden Valley line was opened in 1862 by the Eden Valley Railway company (soon absorbed into the North Eastern Railway) to connect Kirkby Stephen with Penrith on the West Coast Main Line. Passenger services ended in 1962, but the western section to Warcop served the military training camp until 1989, when MoD traffic was withdrawn.
Stations and infrastructure
Warcop is the headquarters, with the restored NER station building, signal box, and a small museum.
Route and stations
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors
Special events and operations
Open Days, themed running days and Santa Specials form the operating calendar.
Visitor information
Warcop is on the A66 between Brough and Appleby. The site is volunteer-run with limited operating dates, confirm in advance.