Heritage railway and visitor centre scheme on track to boost Wolds tourism

Yorkshire Wolds Railway is seeking planning permission to lay just under a mile of track and create a visitor centre on the B1248 near Wetwang, close to the old Sledmere and Fimber station.

The group has already secured £40,000 from the European Union Leader Fund towards the £80,000 cost of the centre, which would include a wooden railway platform, a car park, and exhibitions about the history of the line and plans for its future.

The centre could be built by the end of March next year, paving the way for the operational track to be costed and financed.

The plans are subject to public consultation until March 16, and the group is urging supporters to write to East Riding Council to back the scheme.

Peter Dymock, chairman Yorkshire Wolds Railway, said: “This is an exciting step forward in our plans to reinstate part of the former Malton to Driffield line. Heritage railways are popular tourist attractions around the country, making a significant contribution to their local economies, and we hope that our project will play a similar role for East Yorkshire.

“The local roads are well used by people heading to places like York, Scarborough, Eden Camp and the North York Moors, and if our project can persuade some of those people to spend a little more time in the Wolds then that can only be of benefit to local businesses and tourist attractions.”

The tourism potential of the unspoilt Wolds is only just being realised.

Artist David Hockney has generated international interest in the area and is working with Welcome to Yorkshire to create a Hockney Trail to guide visitors through the landscapes he painted.

The area features heavily in an exhibition of 150 Hockney paintings currently on show at the Royal Academy of Arts in London.

In a separate project a series of sculptures are being installed along the Wolds Way to attract more people to the most under-walked national trail in England.

A 100-mile circular cycle route through the Wolds was launched last year to boost visitor numbers through sustainable tourism.