North Yorkshire Moors Railway has received a Capital Kickstart Fund award of £296,000 from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund for their Yorkshire’s Magnificent Journey (YMJ) project that has been delayed as a result of the pandemic.

This is one of the latest grants, awarded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and builds on over £1 billion awarded to a huge range of cultural and heritage organisations from the Culture Recovery Fund last year.

Ambitious projects at 22 heritage organisations, including North Yorkshire Moors Railway will benefit from £13.5 million in targeted grants allocated by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to restart planned work that now face delays or increased costs.

The impact of Covid-19 has meant the NYMR has had to defer some of its Yorkshire’s Magnificent Journey match funding. This Capital Kickstart Award means that it can now continue and fulfil one of the major elements of the project and continue the renewal of Goathland Station bridges. Bridges 24 & 25 will be replaced January 2022. The YMJ project enables the NYMR to preserve the railway for future generations to enjoy.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “From restoring Georgian lidos and Roman baths to saving local screens and synagogues, our Culture Recovery Fund is helping to save the places people can’t wait to get back to, when it is safe to do so.

 “All over the country, this funding is protecting the venues that have shaped our history and make us proud of our communities, whilst safeguarding the livelihoods of the people that work in them.”

Chris Price, General Manager at NYMR comments: “Our spirits have been completely lifted thanks to news that we’ve successfully been awarded this additional grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Culture Recovery Fund.

“Just last month we announced that our own emergency appeal to raise vital funds from the loss during the pandemic raised an incredible £440,000. These funds helped retain our people and ensured that the railway could operate in the future.

“We knew however, that although we had overcome such an enormous hurdle that more was needed to keep projects like Yorkshire’s Magnificent Journey (YMJ) steaming ahead which is how the Capital Kickstart Award will support us.

“This project is significantly important as in addition to the major restorations of the Goathland Station bridges it enables us to continue with building our conservation and heritage apprenticeship programmes, our lineside ecological conservation work, offer fuss free access for disabled visitors, grow our learning offer at Pickering and Goathland, and of course reach out to individuals, groups and communities to share our passion for the history of the region through steam travel.

“From the whole team at the railway, and all 300,000 of our annual visitors thank you!”

Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive, National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “These are all ongoing major refurbishment and restoration projects, funded by us, which have been threatened by the pandemic. From the oldest surviving outdoor swimming baths to a Victorian pier, and from a much-loved park to an historic abbey, these are all places that will enrich hundreds of lives when they reopen. We are delighted this extra funding from the Culture Recovery Fund will ensure that these exciting projects will go ahead.”

The National Lottery Heritage Fund, along with the BFI, Historic England and Arts Council England, are currently assessing applications for the remaining £400 million in funding from the Culture Recovery Fund, which was held back to allow the Government to support organisations through the Spring and Summer.

Recipients from the first round of the Culture Recovery Fund have contributed stunning images to a curated collection of video-call backgrounds, released today. The public can choose from famous arts venues and heritage sites from Durham Cathedral to the English National Ballet to use as their background and show their support for the cultural sectors. The backgrounds are free to download.