Yorkshire's Magnificent Journey

YORKSHIRE'S MAGNIFICENT JOURNEY
Delivering our £10 million future vision

Yorkshire's Magnificent Journey is our £10 million project to ensure that future generations can continue to enjoy our 180 year old railway for decades to come. Over the past 5 years we’ve been busy delivering 7 unique initiatives. The project concludes in 2024 and you can find out more below about what we’ve already achieved and what’s still to come.

Bridge Renewals

We’ve replaced three crucial bridges along our railway to ensure that we can keep the trains running well into the future. The new bridges have replaced ones that were over 150 years old and starting to show their age. Find Out More

Fuss Free Access

We’ve made improvements to help ensure that our site is as accessible as possible for all to enjoy and feel included. This includes new specially adapted accessible carriages, enhanced signage and accessible maps. Find Out More

Carriage Stable

We have built a new £4 million carriage stable at Pickering to provide better care for our historic carriages. The new facility provides covered storage for up to 40 carriages and is making our work to care for and maintain the collection much easier. Find Out More

Goathland Learning & Interpretation

We are busy developing our learning programmes and have launched a fresh new programme of activities to engage young people with the railway. We have transformed the former pigeon van at Goathland into a new learning coach and have launched a new app. Find Out More

Volunteer Development

We have invested in volunteering including creating new volunteer opportunities across our departments and providing training and support to help volunteer development. We have also created the Outstation at Stape - a residential centre providing high quality volunteer accommodation. Find Out More

Apprentices

Our new apprenticeship scheme is helping young people gain the skills they need for a future in heritage railways. Our apprentices are working alongside our staff in engineering and lineside conservation. Find Out More

Lineside Conservation

Our lineside conservation project is helping to care for the land either side of our railway tracks. Our conservation work includes habitat surveys, practical conservation tasks and the creation of educational resources to help our visitors understand more about wildlife and conservation. Find Out More

We have launched new apprenticeship schemes, funded by the Yorkshire’s Magnificent Journey project, to help even more young people gain the skills required for a future in heritage railways.

The two and three year apprenticeships have included engineering, countryside work and business support and are designed to meet the requirements of the Government’s apprenticeships scheme.

Our apprentices gain an introduction to the world of work, practical knowledge in preserving heritage and how to engage with the public.

Several apprentices have secured employment with us since completing their training and all have made an important contribution to the future of the railway.

  • Mechanical Engineering - Our 3 year mechanical engineering apprenticeships involve learning a wide range of engineering skills whilst working working on our engines and carriages. 
  • Business Support - Apprentices have received training in all our business functions of finance, IT, marketing, commercial, HR and operations areas.
  • Countryside Work - Our 2 year Countryside Worker Apprentices are working towards a level 2 qualification in Environmental Conservation. They are learning a wide range of practical skills, working alongside staff from the North York Moors National Park Authority.

A total of 12 apprentices are being recruited and trained across the five years of the project. 

Mechanical Engineering Apprentice Jacob Swinburn explains

"My apprenticeship is an exciting opportunity. I’ve always had an interest in engineering and steam railways, so it’s great to be able to combine the two. I’m really looking forward to extend my knowledge and skills further to keep this important part of history going and pass on those heritage skills. I’m also involved in another heritage railway, and it will be great to share this knowledge. Everyone at the NYMR has been very welcoming and I’m really starting to feel at home."

A Partnership Approach

Our Countryside Worker Apprenticeship is being delivered in partnership with the North Yorks Moors National Park Authority as part of their long standing and award winning countryside apprenticeship programme.

We will advertise any new apprenticeship opportunities that become available on the news section of our website.