History of the NYMR
A SHORT HISTORY OF THE LINE
Following its initial opening in 1836, the deviation line via Goathland opened in 1865. This removed a steep section of line between Grosmont to near the summit that normal trains could not cope with. The line then operated this way to its closure as a main line route in 1965.
The timeline, ownership and important milestones in the history of this railway are set out below.
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1832 - 1845
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The Horse Drawn Era
1832: George Stephenson survey report produced
1833: Whitby & Pickering Railway Bill receives Royal Assent
1835: Services commence between Whitby and Grosmont
1836: Services commence between Whitby and Pickering
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1845 - 1854
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York & North Midland Railway
1845: Take-over by George Hudson’s Y&NMR receives Royal Assent
1845: Transition from horse-drawn to steam-hauled commences
1845: Rillington Junction to Pickering line opens
1846: Contract signed to rebuild the line to a double-track railway
1847: Steam-hauled public services begin on the rebuilt railway
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1854 - 1923
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North Eastern Railway
1854: Amalgamation to create the North Eastern Railway receives royal assent
1861: Building of Goathland Deviation line receives royal assent
1865: Deviation route opens
1916: Line between Pickering (New Bridge) and Levisham singled
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1923 - 1947
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London & North Eastern Railway
1923: "Grouping" merges the NER into the LNER
1926: Plan to re-double line between New Bridge and Levisham abandoned
1930: Rillington Junction station closes
1940s: Camping Coaches introduced to North York Moors and Whitby
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1948 - 1965
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British Railways
1948: British Railways takes over from LNER following nationalisation
1951: Beck Hole branch closes
1959: Whitby engine shed closes
1965: Malton to Whitby passenger service closes
1965: Malton engine shed closes
1966: Rillington to Pickering line closes
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1967 - Today
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North York Moors
1967: North Yorkshire Moors Railway Preservation Society inaugural meeting
1969: First rail movement from Pickering to Grosmont by Mirvale
1971: First steam passenger train Grosmont to Pickering (for NRCC)
1971: North York Moors Historical Railway Trust incorporated
1973: NYMR public services commence in 1973 Official opening by HRH Duchess of Kent
1987: First through train from Whitby to Pickering in preservation era
1998 & 2009: Support from the Heritage Lottery fund for developments at Pickering 1998 and 2009 including the reinstatement of the roof at the station and the building of the new Learning Centre on Platform 2 (which is also home to the Archive)
2007: NYMR passenger operations to Whitby commences
2018: Heritage Lottery Fund support for Yorkshire’s Magnificent Journey including developments for volunteering, learning, access to trains, carriage stable and renewed bridge structures
2023: Visit by His Majesty the King to celebrate 50 years since NYMR officially re-opened
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Acknowledgement to Philip Benham – An Illustrated History of the North York Moors Railway with additional recent references added by the Archive Team.