Steam festival is landmark for railway

More than 2,000 enthusiasts from as far afield as Scotland and Cornwall yesterday descended on the historic line, which lays claim to being the world’s most popular heritage railway.

A 10-day festival of steam is being staged for the first time, with previous events being held on subsequent weekends.

The start of the festival yesterday was the first opportunity for many to witness a series of major developments on the line, including a £500,000 scheme to restore the roof on the main station in Pickering.

Marketing manager Phil Bustard said: “This year’s festival is just as important as the opening of the railway, and when the line was rescued and re-opened in 1973.

“In terms of the UK’s heritage scene, you cannot see anything quite like what we have going on at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway over the next 10 days.”

Up to 11 steam engines are due to be in operation each day of the festival, with star attractions including Sir Nigel Gresley, the holder of the post-war record for speed by a steam engine.

Other locomotives on show will include Duke of Gloucester, the last express passenger steam engine built for British Railways.

Smaller engines which will be running include the J72 class engine Joem, one of the most enduring designs ever – with locomotives of the type being built over a span of sixty years.

While services have been running for the past fortnight, the launch of the festival marked the start of the railway’s main season.

The new station roof has been built to the design of architect G T Andrews, although the original structure was removed by British Rail in 1951 and replaced by canopies. The project was the final phase of a £1.7m re-development which has also seen a two-storey visitor centre built.

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