A VOLUNTEER was hoping for a quiet retirement when he applied to volunteer at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR).

Yet managers were so impressed with Tim Bruce’s extensive CV that they appointed him to the full-time role of infrastructure manager.

He previously spent 40 years with engineering contractors Amey, working on mainline projects for Network Rail and later specialising in asset management. The qualified civil engineer from York took early retirement at the start of the first lockdown and looked for alternative ways to spend his free time.

Bosses called him in for an informal chat after spotting his CV attached to a volunteer application form and realised, he had the expertise required.

“And that was that,” he said.

“It’s been a real eye opener - I knew NYMR as a visitor, but to get a full understanding of everything that goes into running the railway is fascinating. In some respects, it’s going back 40 to 50 years; in other ways it’s very modern.”

Tim is now responsible for 18 miles of track between Pickering and Grosmont, as well as 36 structures including stations, other buildings and signalling, and is in charge of long-term upgrades such as the installation of controlled emission toilets and the opening of a new carriage stable.

The next big project is the delivery and installation of two new bridges at Goathland in February 2022, as part of the NYMR’s Yorkshire Magnificent Journey Project funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund aimed at ensuring the future of this popular visitor attraction.

Chris Price, general manager at NYMR, added: “Tim is one of the many specialists we’re employing at the NYMR; his key focuses will be to modernise the infrastructure department, introduce new technology to help maintain the railway, and thus help safeguard the future of the heritage railway for the next generations to enjoy.”

The NYMR is a heritage railway that runs through the North York Moors National Park.

For more information, visit https://www.nymr.co.uk.