Switching tracks, Stuart Ross General Manager (Visitor Experience) joins the team alongside Martin Cookman General Manager (Operations) at the popular narrow-guage Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway in the Western Lake District, from Kirklees Light Railway in West Yorkshire.
Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway introduced the new role to further enhance their visitor offer, following a bumper year of success which includes being awarded the highly sought-after Cumbria Tourism Large Visitor Attraction of the Year 2019, achieving the British Coach Tourism Award 2019, maintaining the Silver Green Tourism Award and being recognised with a Transport Trust Red Wheel Plaque.
Stuart Ross General Manager (Visitor Experience) at Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway said: “This is a dream job for me. I’ve had a love of steam railways since childhood visits to the Newby Hall and North Bay Miniature Railways in Yorkshire.
“I’m excited to be joining one of Cumbria’s leading visitor attractions and one of the best Heritage Railways in Britain. I think one of the reasons for the continuing success of heritage railways is that they offer a combination of nostalgia and a fully immersive experience with steam, smell, sounds and motion.
“There is always something happening or something to see at a steam railway. It is never dull! The Railway has an established reputation for the quality of its events programme throughout the year. I’ll be looking at how we can build on this with a focus on excellent customer service to ensure all visitors have a memorable experience.”
David Little Chief Executive Lake District Estates said: “We are delighted that Stuart Ross joins the team at Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway he brings with him a real passion for steam trains and a track record of creating outstanding visitor experiences for all ages to enjoy. It’s crucial that we continue the momentum of this year, investing in the team and building on the achievements of the Railway to deliver world-class visitor experience in this highly competitive market.”
Also joining the team as Collections Assistant at the Ravenglass Railway Museum is Claire Winter-Moore whose previous role at The Beacon Museum in Whitehaven involved working across a variety of visitor outreach and engagement projects.
