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Lancashire Times
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Andrew Palmer
Group Editor
4:00 AM 15th May 2021
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Woo-Wooo… Even The Trains Are Excited!

 
(L-R) Rob Green and Geoff Holland.
All photos: Graham Hermon
(L-R) Rob Green and Geoff Holland. All photos: Graham Hermon
The familiar whistling sound of woo-wooo coupled with white smoke billowing out of the funnel of Loco 44871 is adding to the increasing sense of anticipation and excitement on platform 2 at Pickering Station, home of the iconic North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

A few of the regular 900 volunteer team are in for a practice run and to refresh their personal track safety before the first train departs for Whitby at the launch of the opening season today (15 May).

For Rob Green and Geoff Holland, it can’t come quick enough. The two drivers have donned their traditional bib and brace ‘blues’ and Rob is chomping at the bit. He has been on the footplate for 14 years and not lost any ounce of enthusiasm; “I’ve been counting down the days for the past two weeks; I can’t wait to get going.”

Liz Almond
Liz Almond
That’s a sentiment shared by everyone I stop and chat to, especially Liz Almond, Neil Cunningham, and Peter Brignell, looking splendid in their smart uniforms.

I am beginning to sense it’s an understatement to say there is an air of exhilaration.

After months away, the volunteers have been preparing for the opening and some of them have come a long way to help out, which it seems, is not unusual, such is the attraction and pull of the NYMR.

Neil lives in Northamptonshire and is in town for one of his regular volunteering weeks, “getting up to speed and refreshing myself with safety,” he says.

Fellow ticket inspector, Liz, is over from Cleethorpes and has missed the passenger interaction. “I am so looking forward to being on the first train out of Pickering on Saturday. You can’t beat the atmosphere; it is so friendly. It has been two years since I met up with some of the other volunteers. I’ve missed the social life and because a lot of people travel from all over to volunteer, we only ever meet here.”

Closer to home, Station Foreman Peter Brignell, from York says he “can’t wait to see and feel the buzz. It’s just nice to be getting out again. This is my first time since the Santa Specials at the end of 2019.”
It is fair to say though, that the team of paid staff and volunteers have not been resting on their laurels.

Marketing Manager, Luke Hudman explains: “We were open at Christmas for the Santa Specials and were looking forward to running a reduced service through January to make up some of the income shortfall from lockdown 1, then we had to shut again.

“But it has given us the opportunity to bring forward some projects. We fitted retention tank toilets to the carriages, that’s two years ahead of schedule.
“We’ve diversified bits of the business taking on external projects such as the restoration project of the LMS Black 5 44806.”
There is reduced capacity on the trains due to COVID restrictions, so it is advisable to pre-book tickets. There is some reduced availability on the day. NYMR has provided extra space on board. Is observing social distancing, advising that face masks should be worn at all times on the trains and platforms. Hand sanitizer will be available, and the NHS Track and Trace will operate.


NYMR received a grant of £587,000 from the Government’s £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund to help the organisation recover and reopen.

And Luke tells me, a heritage railway carriage maintenance facility in Pickering has reached a major milestone in its construction following the announcement that the visitor attraction was reopening. It was funded as part of a National Lottery Heritage Fund and European Union Rural Development Programme for England.

“It’s been a challenging 18 months getting through the pandemic, but we have done so retaining jobs,” Luke said.

There is also the added extra excitement that the NYMR will be seen in Mission Impossible 7 when it is released in 2022.

Luke is hoping a new generation of enthusiasts will get involved and volunteer.

“Am I excited. Yes! It will be amazing, and we are all eager to get going. The support has been fantastic, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back. I would like to thank our volunteers and visitors who have supported us. It’s been hard for everyone and it is really touching to see how this community has come together.”

The NYMR opens today 15 May and is running a bronze timetable until further information on the lifting of restrictions. It is hoped that it will have its summer gold timetable in place before returning to the bonze timetable in the autumn.

Look out for the Christmas Santa Specials.

For more information and to book tickets visit https://www.nymr.co.uk/