Chris Price, General Manager said: “We are delighted to be welcoming back passengers, staff and volunteers to the railway from the 1^st August. It’s great to see activity up and down the line, preparing for re-opening on Yorkshire Day.”

“The railway’s fundraising initiatives and the ‘Welcome Back’ services are part of the railway’s phased re-opening and sustainability programme. As part of phase one, our primary objective was to get the railway operational. Behind the scenes this has been a major undertaking. The majority of staff have been furloughed and continue to be under the government scheme. The decision of operating with shorter journeys was due to a mix of factors and was the best option to kick-start the attraction.”

“Every heritage railway has different operational requirements and varying levels of resource. A major challenge has been to manage the operational requirements, implement Covid-19 mitigations, control the railway’s funds and deliver a great passenger experience. All these factors have played a major part in the railway’s decision-making process.”

“The railway’s operating costs are extremely high and along with limiting ticket capacity, prices are having to reflect this. To help support the charity, to ensure it is sustainable for the immediate future, come and travel on a ‘Welcome Back’ service. Your ticket is a donation and will support not only the railway but the wider community.”

“The second phase of re-opening is to enhance our public offering. Therefore, we have only released tickets in a two-week period. We are currently exploring alternative services and our goal is to re-open the entire line, including all stations.”

“During lockdown we have spent the past few months closed to passengers, however behind the scenes we have been focussed on fundraising initiatives and have so far raised £400,000 to help keep the heritage attraction on track. I would like to thank everyone who has supported us so far, whether you have given a donation or bought a ticket to travel along the line. We still have a challenge in front of us, however we will still continue to pushforward.”

How you can support the NYMR

Book tickets for our 'Welcome Back' services 1st - 14th August 

Donate to the Crisis Fund

Become a Member of the NYMR