Watercolours chart repairs scheme that kept heritage railway on track

The exhibition of work by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway's artist in residence, Christopher Ware, tells the story of Bridge 30, an ambitious engineering project between Goathland and Grosmont during the worst winter in three decades.

Each watercolour depicts a key stage in the renewal of the bridge, which has seen a 145-year-old Victorian structure replaced with a new steel crossing at a cost of 750,000.

One painting shows a crane being used to lift out the old bridge, while another depicts the first passenger train passing over the new structure last Saturday.

A total of 500 prints of each of the four original watercolours will be on sale throughout the exhibition, with proceeds going towards the railway's Bridge and Wheels Appeal.

The railway also needs to raise funds to cover the cost of restoring engine 80135.

The exhibition started yesterday and will run until Sunday, April 11. It is being held in the new learning centre on Platform 2 of Pickering Station, which is open daily from 9.45am until 6pm. The display will then shift to the art studio at Levisham Station and continue from April 30 until May 16.