ONCE again, a group of North Yorkshire villages have turned back their clocks to 1943 this weekend, for one of the region’s most popular events.

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway In Wartime event transformed Levisham, Goathland, Grosmont and Pickering, into historic locations and an RAF base, while thousands of people flocked to bask in the wartime nostalgia.

As always, each of the stations along the line of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway was taken over by a different group, with a traditional NAAFI at Pickering, wartime music and dance at Grosmont, Home Guard at Goathland, and Levisham becomin the occupied French village of Le Visham.

Danielle Ramsey, marketing manager with the NYMR, said: “The Railway in Wartime weekend has been a staple event in the NYMR’s diary for 20 years now, and indeed, the themed activities continue all along the line from Pickering to Whitby, attracting thousands of visitors from around the country.”

Wayne Brown and his wife Melanie visited the event from Marske, near Teesside, and said: “The weather this year hs made it fantastic, and there seems to be a really good atmosphere.

“It’s about our tenth time here. We go to a few each year, and try to go to every new one we can, but every year we always come back to this one.”

Alex and Tony Parsons are in the Northern Forties reenactment group, and brought their 18-month old son Seth to the event on Thursday. They will spend a whole week travelling between the villages to raise money for Help For Heroes.

Alex said: “It’s the second time we’ve been here, and it’s much busier, there are a lot more people here this year.

“The group has raised over £5,000 already. We think it’s brilliant, definitely the best in the country, and the public have been enjoying themselves, and really generous.”