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 3 - Friday 16th March, 8pm on Channel 5

The busy summer season is looming and the question on everyone’s lips is, does the railway have enough operational steam trains to deliver a full steam service? All the steam engines are between 60 and 99 years old, so there’s always something to fix. To make matters worse, Engine Shed Manager Piglet has offered to loan out one of their steam trains to another railway so, they’re an engine down.

General Manager Chris calls a crisis meeting down at the engine sheds. Their only chance of getting through the summer is if they complete the overhaul of Repton - a 1934 Schools Class Engine. This engine has been undergoing restoration for the past 5 years but now it’s all hands on deck to try and get her back on the rails this season.

The railway doesn’t only have problems with its engines. Manager of Carriage and Wagon Kieran discovers that the track at Grosmont platform is subsiding and can’t carry a load. No carriages can be put on a portion of the track - their only option is to shorten the Pullman dining train. It’s a disaster, especially as the railway is about to host its first ever on-board wedding. The Event’s team now have to decorate a brake van instead of a period carriage for the ceremony – and keep their fingers crossed that the somewhat less ornate surroundings don’t disappoint the bride.
 

And the big day finally dawns at the engine sheds; Repton’s boiler is about to be lifted onto its frame. It’s an anxious time for the engineers, one false move and they could undo five years of hard graft. The engine is gently lowered down onto the chassis, the big question is…will it actually fit? 

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