Channel 5 Series Synopsis

'The Yorkshire Steam Railway: All Aboard' goes behind the scenes at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway; taking us back in time to the golden age of steam. A tireless army of staff and volunteers give us the inside track on what it takes to run a heritage railway. This year they’re celebrating their fiftieth anniversary and we join them as they welcome day trippers, wedding parties and train spotters alike in what they hope will be the railway’s busiest year yet.

Episode 2 - Friday 9th March, 8pm on Channel 5

It’s the start of the Easter timetable at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and Marketing Manager Laura has come up with a plan to attract school teachers to the heritage line. She’s issued ‘teachers go free vouchers’ over the weekend in the hope that they’ll like what they see and return with school groups in term time. However, there’s a slight hiccup, instead of capping the free tickets at 100, Laura’s made a mistake and capped it at 100 free tickets a day. It takes a while for the news to filter through to her boss that Laura has cost the railway over £8000 pounds in free train rides.

General Manager Chris goes on an inspection of the railway’s bridges and is faced with the grim reality of running a heritage line. With many of the bridges approaching 100 years old some are beyond repair and need replacing. 

More than a thousand volunteers help keep the railway running and they’re always on the lookout for new recruits to join their ranks. Single mum Mel has decided to volunteer, she’s determined to become a train driver to prove to her boys that if she can drive a train they can do anything. We meet Mel on her first engine cleaning shift and discover the fine art of shovelling coal.

And Marketing Manager Laura attempts to redeem herself with yet another publicity stunt. The Tour de Yorkshire is in town so Laura plans to put the railway on the T.V. by getting one of their steam engines alongside the route. She’s relying on Engine Shed Manager, Piglet, to get the engine in place and tooting its whistle when the cyclists go by but there’s a problem with the engine – can Piglet get it fixed in time?

Earlier this year, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) awarded NYMR £4.6M as part of the £9.2M Sustainability Project, NYMR’s Yorkshire’s Magnificent Journey Appeal. To deliver the investment programme, the NYMR urgently needs to raise approx. £2.5M from members, passengers and the public over the next five years. We need your help! Please donate nymr.co.uk/YMJ