North Yorkshire Moors Recollections Paperback / softback

by St. John Hunt

Part of the Railways & Recollections series

Paperback / softback

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Description

Together with many rural secondary lines, The North Yorkshire Moors Railway was earmarked for closure under the sweeping recommendations of Dr Beeching in his famous report on the Reshaping of British Railways in 1963.

Despite objections, closure came on 6 March 1965, when the by then diesel-worked service was augmented by a special train that ran from Scarborough to Whitby, then on to Pickering and Rillington Junction, hauled by 'K4' 2-6-0 No 3442 The Great Marquess and 'K1' 2-6-0 No 62005.

Following strenuous and determined efforts on the part of the preservation society and a growing legion of volunteers, the line was restored to enable some trains to occasionally traverse the whole length of the line from 1969, and from 1970 passenger trains for members were run on special occasions between Grosmont, Goathland and Summit.

Although one of the two tracks had been lifted by British Rail by the end of 1969, one line was retained, with the invaluable help of North Yorkshire County Council, so that eventually services could resume over the whole length of the line to Pickering. A big milestone was therefore reached on 1 May 1973 when the 18-mile line from Grosmont to Pickering was formally opened by HRH The Duchess of Kent.

Initially, Pickering services terminated short of the town but, following the resolving of difficulties of access, passenger trains once more graced Pickering station from May 1975.

Since then the railway has gone from strength to strength, improving and consolidating its infrastructure, acquiring rolling stock, and enhancing its facilities.

In recent years the NYMR has regularly carried more than 300,000 passengers a year, has a turnover of more than GBP3,000,000, and employs more than 100 full and part-time staff and around 300 volunteers, making it the UK's most popular heritage railway and one of the major players in the Yorkshire tourism industry.

These achievements were celebrated in some style in 2013, which marked the 40th anniversary of the reopening of the line.