April Fools

To celebrate the 50^th anniversary year of the foundation of the original Preservation Society, the railway has launched an ambitious new scheme to repaint all its coaches in a new corporate livery.

In the early days of the railway, several coaches carried a Brunswick green and cream colour scheme which the railway will be recreating with a modern twist for this year’s anniversary. Details of the new livery are being kept under wraps but the railway have revealed that their oval-shaped logo, or “totem” will be applied to coaches as part of the rebranding process.

To complement the new livery for coaches, the railway will also begin rolling out a brand-new bell heather colour scheme for its locomotives with the NYMR totem on the tender. The bell heather and Brunswick green scheme will reflect the corporate colours that have been used on the NYMR’s new website and branding over the last two seasons.

General Manager Chris Price said, “I was down at the engine sheds last summer and it was all black. Every engine we had was black, and I just thought ‘this is so boring’! The passengers coming here want a good day out. They want something bright and cheerful. We were looking back at old photographs and I said ‘can we bring this livery back?’”

The first locomotive to be repainted will be 42428 Eric Treacy which will be renamed as ‘Erica cinerea’. Eric is currently undergoing maintenance and will receive her new colour scheme before returning to service later in 2017. “I think Eric would have loved it,” said Chris Price, “especially as purple is the colour of bishops’ vestments”.

Eddie Knorn, Head of Traction and Rolling Stock said “It’s certainly going to be a bit different, and some of the purists will maybe not like it but I think it’s great. It shows we’re proud of being an independent railway and we are keeping steam traction relevant in the 21^st century instead of always harking back to some imaginary “golden age”.

NYMR is one of the most historic lines in the North of England, taking visitors on picturesque journeys along an 18-mile railway line aboard steam and heritage diesel trains. The railway passes through stunning scenery, from wooded valleys to beautiful countryside, stopping at charming villages and spectacular seaside locations.

Image Credit John Potter. Caption: Inspiration for corporate livery, heather at Darnholme.