A SCHEME to renew a bridge on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway at Pickering has been completed in time for the start of the new daily steam services.

Philip Benham, the railway’s general manager, said: “This winter the North Yorkshire Moors Railway has been working around the clock to get the railway ready for the start of the summer timetable with the complete renewal of Bridge 7 at Pickering our big challenge.

“Last weekend the project was completed on time to allow Pickering station to welcome the first steam train of the season thanks to the help of many volunteers and North Yorkshire Moors Railway staff.”

Mr Benham added that the line is set to get another boost this summer when the Olympic torch is carried on the line from Whitby to Pickering on June 18.

Passenger numbers for this year also look buoyant, he added.

“Weekends in March have attracted visitor numbers higher than 2011, helped by the good weather and families taking full advantage of four children going free with any family ticket,” he said.

“So we are quietly confident for the coming season.”

But, said Mr Benham: “The inexorable rise in fuel cost is a major concern.

“The railway, which is a registered charity, uses about 2,500 tons of coal each year to fuel its steam engines, on the 24-mile stretch between Pickering and Whitby.”

It recently launched its Cash for Coal appeal to help, by asking people to give £1 ‘to buy a shovelful of coal’.