The UK’s busiest heritage railway has begun discussions with the engineering construction industry’s skills body on working together to enhance railway engineering skills.

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) has reported that its senior representatives met with senior representatives of at the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) this week, at NYMR’s Motive Power Depot (MPD) in Grosmont.

The Railway hopes that this initial meeting will lead to initiatives to improve skills and training – including through enhancements to its existing apprenticeship programme – and to acquire equipment provision for its railway’s mechanical operations.

The meeting sought to identify opportunities for training, and for engineering construction employers to donate equipment to support the Yorkshire railway’s preservation and engineering work.

The ECITB is an employer-led body, backed by the government, that supports training and skills development in engineering and construction. It works with other organisations, and with the engineering construction companies that are its members, to providing funding for training initiatives.

Mark Rae, North-East Relationship Manager at the ECITB, pledged to follow up the meeting by informing engineering construction industry companies about the work carried out at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and to encourage them to visit the Railway and consider what support they might offer.

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway runs train service along an eighteen-mile route between Pickering and Grosmont, and last year celebrated its half-centenary. It sees working with the engineering construction body as aligning with its is wider strategy to sustain the Railway and its mechanical operations for the long term by using innovation and collaboration.

“Having worked with the ECITB for nearly three decades in previous roles, I know firsthand the incredible impact that they can have on developing engineering skills. We’re looking forward to exploring how this collaboration can benefit the NYMR’s team and help us to continue our work in preserving our rich railway heritage.”

Yvonne Day, Head of People, North Yorkshire Moors Railway