North Yorkshire Moors Railway
The English county of Yorkshire is famous for its wild, open and unspoilt landscapes and guests of Great Rail Journeys who visit the area with us may enjoy a relaxing trip along the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Covering a distance of 29 kilometres (18 miles), it is one of the UK's longest heritage railway lines runs through the beautiful North York Moors National Park, connecting the picturesque market town of Pickering and the village of Grosmont.
The railway first opened in 1836 as the Whitby and Pickering Railway for the transportation of both goods and passengers to and from Yorkshire's east coast. It continued to run until 1965 when it suffered the same fate as many of the UK's provincial railways; closure under the recommendation of 1963's notorious Beeching Report. Salvation for the Whitby and Pickering Railway arrived via an enthusiastic and dedicated preservation society who arranged open weekends and 'steam galas' to fund the re-opening of the line. Their goal was achieved in 1973 and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway was born.
Today, carefully-restored carriages are hauled by diesel and steam locomotives along the picturesque route, which reportedly features one of the oldest railway tunnels in the world.
