Major developments at heritage railway

2:12pm Wednesday 20th August 2008

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A £1.7m scheme has been unveiled to further develop an award-winning heritage railway that attracts visitors from all over the world.

The North York Moors Railway’s project for its station at Pickering is expected to provide a major boost for the local economy.

The railway currently attracts around 300,000 visitors a year and is believed to attract some £18m a year to the town.

And now the new scheme will provide an education and conference centre, archive and library facilities and a visitor centre. The roof of the station will also be restored.

"We want to give people more when they visit the railway, underlining its role and history in this part of North Yorkshire," said railway spokesman Phil Bustard.

"The station is a lovely building but it does lack facilities for conferences, an education centre for visiting school parties, a visitor centre, and somewhere to meet and greet visitors."

The complex will be built behind platform two and restoring the roof will allow the station to house rolling stock and carriages over the winter months.

"It will also create a huge area which will be available for the arts and live performances," said Mr Bustard.

"We will be opening up to new markets and making the railway a year-round attraction."

Funding for the venture is being sought from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the regional development agency Yorkshire Forward, and from legacies.

Bids for lottery funding have already been submitted and it is hoped a decision will be made by the end of September.

News of the project comes only a few months after the railway extended its service to Whitby, creating a 24-mile route through some of the most spectacular scenery.

Mr Bustard said: "The railway does need to sell itself and we can link in with so many education aspects and themes – history, the role of the railway in the war, transport, the environment and in moving goods.

"Schools are continually looking for themes for their curriculums and we fit so many parts of them."