[L]ake District visitor attraction, Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, has announced the appointment of a new general manager to succeed Trevor Stockton, who will be stepping down from his position in early December.
Peter Brendling has been chosen for this role following an extensive recruitment process involving some strong internal and external candidates. He is currently working alongside Trevor, to ensure a smooth handover of responsibilities, although Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway will still be utilising Trevor’s 44 years of experience on a part-time basis, on the operational side of the business.
The new general manager has enjoyed a long association with Cumbria and has lots of experience in the business world. This, along with his skills set and enthusiasm made him the first choice as the person to take the helm at La’al Ratty.
Peter will be relocating his young family from Kendal, moving to the Eskdale area and temporarily living in the Railway’s Dalegarth Cottages.
When not working, Peter is spending time with his young family, or doing something like DIY or stripping down a car engine. His guilty pleasure is described as being the model railway in his loft!
Peter Brendling says: “I have been a rail enthusiast since childhood and have many happy memories of holidays spent visiting various narrow gauge railways, so I am naturally excited to be given the opportunity to combine my love of the Lake District with my passion for steam.
“Whilst living and working in the Lake District, I have not only taken my own children to ride the R&ER line on several occasions, but also recommended and taken many visitors to the Railway. I have had nothing but positive feedback about both the attraction and its staff.
“I am really looking forward to working with everyone and helping to ensure the continued success of the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.”
The R&ER’s Chief Executive, David Little, comments: “We were impressed with Peter from his initial interview and feel his skills and enthusiasm will ensure the ‘Ratty’ remains one of the UK’s leading heritage railway visitor attractions. We are sure everyone in the Western Lake District will welcome Peter and be delighted to work with him, to not just carry forward the Railway’s story, but also help boost tourism and employment in our beautiful area.”
