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're pleased to announce our 2024 offer for schools and pupils. Experience the magic of the heritage railway with our learning programme which provides hands-on learning opportunities and engaging workshops. 

From steam and diesel train adventures to interactive activities, the NYMR education programme offers a unique blend of STE(A)M learning within the unique landscape of the North York Moors.

The free, cross-curricular workshops are designed to ignite curiosity and foster a deeper understanding of railway heritage and wider social history. Led by experienced and enthusiastic staff and volunteers, students can delve into steam engine mechanics, Victorian life along the railway, and the impact of railways on local communities.

Through hands-on activities, immersive demonstrations, and guided tours, students will engage with artefacts and stories from the past, bringing history to life in a dynamic and memorable way. Whether they are studying history, science, or design and technology, the workshops offer a rich and immersive learning experience for students from Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) to Key Stage 2.

There are new KS1 and EYFS workshops including, Sensational Stations, where pupils use their senses to explore different parts of the station, and the Just the Ticket Station Trail at Pickering Station.

To enhance their learning experience, the pre-visit activity pack is filled with engaging resources to spark curiosity and encourage meaningful discussions before and after the visit. Packed with fascinating facts and creative activities, it introduces students to the rich history and heritage of the railway, setting the stage for a multi-sensory learning experience.

The NYMR offers free familiarisation visits for a first-hand glimpse into the immersive learning experiences provided for students.
The living museum prides itself on ensuring that every child has the opportunity to engage and learn in a welcoming and inclusive environment. There are Fuss Free Coaches and adaptable workshops to ensure students’ individual needs are met.

To ensure the NYMR is an accessible place for schools, community groups and home educators, for 2024 under 16s travel free and over 16s are only £25 per ticket! Paired with one of the free workshops and that’s a trip the students will never forget.

The continued enhancements of the NYMR’s educational offering is one of the many ongoing initiatives as part of its Yorkshire’s Magnificent Journey (YMJ) project, financially backed by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Find out more on our website http://www.nymr.co.uk/learning. To discuss your requirements or find out more, get in touch with the Learning and Interpretation Officer at [email protected] 

For more information on YMJ, visit https://www.nymr.co.uk/yorkshires-magnificent-journey 

Images courtesy Charlotte Graham.