THE golden age of refined railway travel is being recreated at Askam next Thursday, (May 18) at the next meeting of the Askam and Ireleth History Group.

Guest speaker from 7.30pm in the Duddon Road Methodist Church, Askam, will be Geoff Home with a presentation called An Edwardian Tour of Furness and the Lake District with the Furness Railway.

This was an era of elegance with tourists and daytrippers were attracted to explore the South Lakes by boat, coach and train.

Admission is £2 which includes refreshments and all are welcome.

When Alfred Aslett arrived in the late 1890s as general manager, the Furness Railway was in need of new ideas and new revenue.

The old goods traffic in copper and iron ores was in decline and tourism looked to offer new opportunities.

Furness Railway had posters were designed to attract visitors and the company had smaller versions issued as a set of postcards in a special envelope for three pence.

Company display stand appeared at major exhibitions to help promote a series of tours taking in the major attractions at, or close, to places with Furness Railway stations.

An Outer Circular tour would take Blackpool visitors by train to Fleetwood and then on railway paddle steamers – such as Lady Evelyn, Lady Moyra and Philomel – to Barrow.

Trains packed with trippers at Ramsden Dock Station would head to Lakeside for the Windermere steamers.

Coniston had its own branch and the station had its own tea rooms by the Edwardian era.

The railway company also promoted the ruins of Furness Abbey as a visitor attraction.