The ironstone from Rosedale was typically rated at a higher iron ore concentration in the rock than other mines in the Cleveland and North Yorkshire area.

The first exports from the dale were by horse and cart, but by 1861, the standard gauge Rosedale Railway was built, 12 miles (19 km) across the moors to the north to connect the mines with the smelters on Teesside, Tyneside or in County Durham.

[8] This in turn, developed the village of Rosedale Abbey beyond what it had before; more schools, chapels, and shops, even a resident police officer.

[9] This upsurge in employment, and the influx of people from outside the dale to work in the ironstone industry, led to it being called the Yorkshire Klondyke, and locally, it is still referred to that in the modern era.

[12] The kilns allowed the mined and quarries ore to be roasted (calcined) with coal which drove off the impurities and increased the percentage of iron and thus, made it cheaper to be transported in bulk via the railway.

[17] Prior to the arrival of the railway, ore was taken to Pickering by horse and cart and was railed via Malton and Pilmoor to the Derwent Ironworks in Consett.

[24] The combined output from the mines reached a peak in 1873, when 560,000 tonnes (620,000 tons) was shipped down the incline for onward transportation to the ironworks.

[25] In the 68 years that the railway was open, it has been estimated that it transported over 11,000,000 tonnes (12,000,000 tons) of ironstone for the smelters on Teesside and the North East.

[32] The various buildings and structures were demolished; the community that had built up around Blakey Junction (where the railway line diverged to Rosedale West and East), had its last house taken down in 1955.