As part of this year’s Heritage Open Days next month, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) is offering free access to parts of the railway that are normally out of bounds to the public.

Heritage Open days take place this year from 9th to 18th September. It celebrates England’s rich history, culture, invention, industry, and innovation through a nationwide series of free events in locations that are not normally open to the public.

Events at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway are particularly interesting, and include:

Signal Box Demonstrations at Pickering on 10th & 17th September

• Visitors can discover the history of communication and signalling in the signal box on Platform 2 on Pickering Station. North Yorkshire Moors Railway education volunteers will explain how the signal box works, and allow visitors to have a go at operating signal levers themselves.

History of the railway line by Ron Pickering at Pickering on 9th and 14th September

• This is a one-hour presentation and Q&A session that will explain the story behind the original Whitby to Pickering railway line and the start of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

Tour of the Carriage Care Facility at Pickering on 10th, 16th, and 18th September

• The new £4 million Trout Farm Carriage Care Facility in Pickering is part of the Yorkshire’s Magnificent Journey project that is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. An hour-long tour will allow visitors to see how the North Yorkshire Moors Railway cares for its heritage carriages from carrying out routine maintenance, to servicing and inspections.

Tour of the Motive Power Depot at Grosmont on 10th and 11th September

Visitors can take a 15-minute tour behind the scenes at the railway’s operating hub. There will be the chance to tour the restoration workshop and boiler shop, with ample opportunities to photograph the locomotives and work being done to restore and maintain the railway’s historic fleet.

Lineside Conservation Activity at Grosmont on 11th September and at Levisham on 19th September.

• The North Yorkshire Moors Railway has over 36 miles of lineside (18 miles on each side of the tracks) that covers approximately 170 acres. These events will allow visitors to meet the railway’s Lineside Conservation volunteers and find out about the important habitats surrounding the railway and projects that are happening along the lineside.

Tour of the NLHF Atkins Building Tour at Pickering on 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th and 18th September

• The NLHF Atkins Building at Pickering station is home to the detailed carriage restoration team of the London & North Eastern Railway Coach Association (LNERCA) where NYMR volunteers operate and lovingly restore the ex-LNER heritage carriages that are used on the railway. Visitors can take a tour lasting 20-30 minutes to see the work in progress.

Chris Price, General Manager at NYMR, said: “We’re particularly excited about this year’s theme which is ‘Astounding Inventions’ as it couldn’t be more of a perfect fit for us at the NYMR, and what we’re trying to achieve when educating our visitors about the past and importance of heritage railways and preserving this precious legacy for future generations to come; after all, where would we be without steam trains?”

Further information about the events together with booking details can be found online at www.nymr.co.uk/heritage-open-days