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£1m appeal to avert moors railway closure
A £1M appeal has been launched to prevent the North Yorkshire Moors Railway being forced into closure and dealing a £30m blow to the area's tourist economy.
Watch more footage of the North York Moors line here
Railway chiefs say unless the money is found to repair a vital bridge, the charity would only be able to run a skeleton service next summer – with closure on the cards after that.
Because the 18 miles of track follow the lines of the Esk Valley and Pickering Beck, the route has always depended on the 35 bridges that connect Pickering Station to Goathland and Grosmont, and more recently onto Whitby.
Most of the bridges are of stone arch design which have not been a problem to maintain. But Bridge 30 at Water Arc, below the village of Beck Hole, could be the Achilles heel.
It is in a remote gorge which makes access difficult and its 80ft span rests on a girder. It dates back to 1908, and being a solid lump of metal has to be replaced in one go rather than repaired in sections, as stonework can be.
There is no danger to trains at the moment. But unless Bridge 30, which carries the line over the River Murk Esk near Thomason Foss waterfall is repaired before next spring the railway's days are numbered.
Otherwise a weight restriction will have to be placed on rolling stock using the track next summer. This would mean the mothballing the bigger locomotives, and using tank engines.
Not only does the railway not have enough smaller engines, but they would be too puny to haul the eight coaches and 500 passengers needed make the line pay.
It would not be worth the price of all the coal needed for the boilers and would start the business on the slippery slope towards closure, according to railway general manager Philip Benham.
He said: "The railway would be a shadow of what it is now and we would not have a viable future. In some ways it's the biggest threat the railway has ever faced."
The railway has now launched its 1m Bridge and Wheels Appeal to pay for the works, which include replacing the rusting bridge with a smart new structure along with a girder that will last at least another 100 years.
If it does not succeed 100 jobs will be at risk at the railway, which is also the consuming hobby of another 200-300 volunteers. Its loss would also be an estimated 30m blow to the annual local economy.
Although the North York Moors Railway has a 5m annual turnover, any profits have been swallowed up by the 500,000 it costs to overhaul a train. Currently, the charity maintains eight steam locomotives and more than 40 carriages.
Mr Benham added: "It is a much loved railway which as well being an employer also safeguards other jobs. There is also the emotional appeal.
"People love to see old engines brought back but a bridge is even more important because if there is no bridge there is no railway."
Recognising the urgency of the situation, members of the North York Moors Historical Railway Trust, which runs the railway's operating company, have so far contributed 48,000 to the appeal and there are plenty of reasons for others to follow their lead.
"The railway has become very much part of the rural and North York Moors scene. It's an institution in itself, having been run for 36 years as a preserved railway enjoyed by millions of people," Mr Benham added.
"There is also a large number of people for whom the railway is their hobby. All of this is at risk.
"You might say 'Why did we not prepare for this earlier?' But there are always things needing doing on a railway.
"It is always a struggle to generate enough cash to deal with something like this and one of the reasons for expanding services to Whitby two years ago was to bring in more money."
HOW TO GIVE
Readers who want to contribute can go to www.bridgeandwheels.co.uk (there is a facility for electronic giving) or send a donation to Appeal Office, North Yorkshire Moors Railway, 12 Park Street, Pickering, North Yorkshire YO18 7AJ.
Please send your donations, payable to NYMHRT Ltd, together with your name and address, and an indication as to whether you wish your donation to be treated as eligible for "gift aid".
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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