Ruswarp the Collie Statue – A Celebration

A Character & Story I Was Honoured to Capture in Clay & See Cast in Bronze

Ruswarp the Collie –

Loyalty, landscape, and a sculpture that carries a story

Some commissions stay with you long after the work is finished.

Ruswarp was one of those.

When I was asked to create a sculpture of a Border Collie named Ruswarp, I quickly realised this was not simply about capturing the likeness of a dog—it was about honouring a story of extraordinary loyalty, and a community of supporters determination to save a railway that meant so much to them.

Discovering Ruswarp’s story

Ruswarp belonged to Graham Nuttall, one of the founders of the Friends of the Settle–Carlisle Line. During the 1980s, when the railway was under threat of closure, thousands of people rallied to protect it.

Among the many signatures sent to Parliament was one very special mark—Ruswarp’s paw print.

That detail alone tells you something about the spirit of the campaign: it was heartfelt, determined, and inspiring.

But it was only later, as I learned more, that I fully understood the depth of Ruswarp’s story.

When Graham tragically died walking in the Welsh mountains, Ruswarp stayed with him—through harsh winter conditions—for eleven weeks. That kind of loyalty and devotion is marvellous and stirring.

As a sculptor, I knew this was something I had to try to express.

Creating Ruswarp in Clay

Help from many collie dog owners and the Chairman of the Friends of the Settle to Carlisle Line for images and T.V. footage of Ruswarp

From the outset, I wanted the sculpture to feel alive— full of character, and present.

Ruswarp is shown alert, watchful, as if waiting. That seemed right to me. Not just waiting for Graham, but watching over the railway, the landscape, and the people who pass through.

I studied the form and movement of collies carefully. Their intelligence shows in their posture, in the way they hold their head, in the quiet readiness of their body.

The process began with small studies—working through the character before committing to the final life-sized piece. Each stage allowed me to refine not only the anatomy, but the feeling.

The final sculpture was cast in bronze using the traditional lost-wax process, this classic method is used for its ability to hold fine detail and endure outdoors for generations.

Garsdale: the right place

The sculpture was installed at Garsdale Station on the Settle–Carlisle line—a place that engenders feelings from its wild remote landscape – yet deeply and widely connected by the Settle to Carlisle Line..

It matters where a sculpture lives. In this case, Ruswarp sits in the very landscape that shaped his story. The wind, the passing trains, the changing light across the Dales—all of it becomes part of the work.

When I first saw him in place, it did feel as though he belonged there.

The unveiling was a marvellous time of seeing the delight on peoples faces and families and dog owners spending time with Ruswarp statue.

A shared effort

What also makes this project so special to me is how it came into being.

The sculpture was underwritten by the Friends of the Settle to Carlisle Line under the Chairmanship of Mark Rand. And also funded by public subscription—people coming together, just as they had done to save the railway itself. That collective effort is part of the sculpture’s meaning.

It is not just my work. It belongs to everyone who cared enough to make it happen.

A living presence

Over the years, I’ve seen photographs of people beside Ruswarp, touching him, taking photographs and lingering.

Some arrive knowing his story. Others discover it there, on the platform or on the train rides. There are volunteer guides who tell passengers about the Saving of the Line and when and where to look out for the Ruswarp Statue.

Those moments of connection and reflection are, I think, what sculpture can do best.

Why Ruswarp matters?

For me, Ruswarp represents more than one story.

He speaks of:

• the bond between human and animal

• the power of community action

• and the importance of remembering what we value before it is lost

As a sculptor, I try to create work that holds something of life within it. With Ruswarp, that meant honouring not only a dog, but a feeling—of loyalty, endurance, and presence.

Visiting Ruswarp

If you travel the Settle–Carlisle line, I hope you will take a moment to stop at Garsdale and meet him.

Stand quietly for a while.

You may find, as I did, that there is something deeply moving in his gaze.