Cherish the staff and volunteers that keep North Yorkshire Moors Railway rolling
North Yorkshire Moors Railway is a significant asset for the region. It not only preserves an important slice of Yorkshire’s history but also delights the young and old. The steam railway visitor attraction transports people to another world with its magical sights and sounds. The railway, which runs along an 18-mile line through the Moors, is an important part of the tourism economy.
However, those behind the railway should not be taken for granted. There is the paid staff of 104, cut down from 119 previously. Some of these are highly specialised roles, all of them contribute to providing visitors with the best possible experience.
Talk of cutting staff numbers further should concern anyone who cares about heritage railways. The organisation is facing major financial challenges amidst falling visitor numbers.
The not-for-profit charity says it is planning on relying more on volunteers. The trust has more than 1,100 registered volunteers.
This army of volunteers should be lauded for the work that they do, unpaid. They do not get the appreciation that they deserve. For these most selfless of people, passion for preserving our rich past is the main motivator.
North Yorkshire Moors Railway says it wants to “change the demographic” of its existing volunteer base to make its helpers “more varied in age and more diverse”. That is understandable. In order for the organisation to futureproof itself it needs younger volunteers and those with different backgrounds who are capable of contributing in different ways.
However, North Yorkshire Moors Railway should not forget the existing volunteers, who have dedicated many years of their lives to the railway. They do not deserve to be shunted into the sidings.
For the rest of Yorkshire, it is vital that people find a way to support this cultural asset. The region would be poorer without it.