Statue of Ruswarp. Garsdale Station, Settle-Carlisle Railway, Cumbria, England, United Kingdom, Europe.
A nearby descriptive plaque relates "The Tale of Ruswarp". The plaque reads as follows:- The statue on this platform depicts a dog named Ruswarp (pronounced "Russup"). It was unveiled on 2009 to commemorate the 20th. anniversary of the government announcement that the Settle-Carlisle line would not be closed, following years of campaigning. It was placed here by the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle line and was funded by public subscription. Ruswarp was the faithful friend of Graham Nuttall, co-founder and first secretary of the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line. Through the 1980's the line was under threat of almost certain closure. Tens of thousands of people and one dog, objected. Ruswarp's paw print was accepted as a valid signature of objection, he being a fare paying passenger. Graham Nuttall and Ruswarp hardly had time to enjoy the railway they helped to save for on 1990 Graham (then aged 41) and Ruswarp (14) went walking in the Welsh mountains but did not return. Graham had died. It was not until 1990 that Graham's body was found by a mountain stream. Nearby was Ruswarp who had stayed with his dead master for eleven winter weeks. Ruswarp was so weak he had to be carried off the mountain but recovered and lived long enough to be at his master's funeral. The statue, by the sculptress Joel Walker, symbolises the sucessful campaign to save the line from closure-and the loyalty of man's best friend. Ruswarp's eyes look towards the hills and to a bench on the far platform, dedicated to Graham Nuttall. Garsdale was their favourite place.
Size: 4057px × 2699px
Location: Garsdale Station, Settle-Carlisle Railway, Cumbria, England, United Kingdom, Europe.
Photo credit: © Stan Pritchard / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: dog, garsdale, graham, joel, nuttall, ruswarp, sculptress, station, statue, walker
