AFTER “very buoyant” visitor numbers and ticket sales that significantly topped those from last year’s event, railway bosses at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway have declared the 175th Anniversary Festival a success.

The mammoth event saw 10 days of steam-driven traction using a mixture of home-based and guest engines which ran up and down the scenic line.

Resident iconic engine Sir Nigel Gresley was a crowd-puller, as was guest engine Duke of Gloucester. Alongside the recently-named Cock o’ the North, these huge, powerful engines made easy work of hauling seven and even eight carriages carrying excited passengers across the North York Moors. At the other end of the scale, the little North Eastern tank engine Joem pleased the crowds as it was used to haul shuttles using a smaller number of vintage carriages.

Guest engines also included replicas of Rocket and Planet, which were quite a novelty, and many visitors enjoyed a unique experience of riding behind these engines for short distances between Pickering and Levisham. Throughout the event, model railways also proved a hit.

The May Bank Holiday saw a large number of visitors and although this tailed off during the week, thousands visited the railway throughout the landmark event to help celebrate 175 years since the opening of the Whitby-Pickering line. As a result, income generated through ticket sales was significantly higher than the previous year’s Spring Gala. The weather undoubtedly helped, as did the spectacle of Pickering Station’s new roof, itself a new feature.

Phil Bustard, marketing manager for the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, said: “Prior to the festival, we really weren’t sure just how successful it was going to be; we had very attractive engines, rolling stock and experiences and our fears were unfounded as we have seen good and positive visitor numbers and an increase in income, so we are pleased with how it went and regard it as a success.

“What particularly stands out is that Sir Nigel Gresley continues to be a huge crowd puller.”


Tornado steams in

TRAIN buffs are expected to flock to Pickering next week when Tornado, the first new steam engine to have been built in half a century, visits the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR).

The train, which was built in Darlington in a A1Steam Locomotive Trust-backed project, will be on show at a gala at NYMR next week.

The Peppercorn A1 class Pacific engine will be having its first public outing after a repaint in its new livery, BR Brunswick Green. The engine is expected to arrive on Wednesday, May 25.