Rocks by Rail: The Living Ironstone Museum

Rocks by Rail: The Living Ironstone Museum

Rocks by Rail: The Living Ironstone Museum (formerly The Rutland Railway Museum) traces the history of the role played by the railway in industry, particularly in the local ironstone quarrying which was such an important part of Rutland's history.

What to See

The museum has a large collection of historic railway vehicles, many of them driven by steam. Included in the collection are coaches, vans, wagons, and locomotives (both steam and diesel driven).

There are also a large number of artefacts connected with railways in the Rutland area. Most of the collection is displayed in the open air. There is a 3/4 mile demonstration line, and a section of the old Oakham Canal to see. See engines being repaired in the restoration shed, and see a rebuilt engine shed from the old quarry at Woolsthorpe.

The museum site was originally used as a loading station for local ironstone, which was brought to the site in lorries and tipped into the railway wagons from a specially constructed tipping dock, which is still standing.

The museum is open most weekends. Admission is free as of this writing but donations are requested. There is a visitor centre with a souvenir shop.