Cash Boost For North Yorkshire Moors Railway

The Pickering to Whitby Heritage Railway has been awarded £1.94m from the Culture Recovery Fund

North Yorkshire Moors Railway has been awarded £1.94million as part of the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help the organisation survive the financial challenges caused by the Covid-19 crisis.

North Yorkshire Moors Railway is one of eight organisations receiving grants totalling £18,760,865 million today, as part of the second round of grants between £1 million and £3 million from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund.  This follows a previous round of similar sized grants and two rounds of grants under £1 million announced last month, which supported over 2000 organisations.  Announcements on further funding will follow in the coming weeks.

Chris Price, General Manager at NYMR comments:

“Let’s face it, 2020 has been a whirlwind of a year, and there has been so much uncertainty. Here at NYMR we’ve launched a number of crisis appeals and had to call on the generosity of members of the public to help us pull through and it’s been bloody tough, but we’ve made it this far. 

“But I can’t tell you the sigh of relief we’ve breathed today after receiving the news from Arts Council England that we’ve been awarded such a significant grant, which we believe is the largest awarded to a heritage railway in the UK. It will enable us to continue to offer a safe, revised service and build back to our 300,000 annual visitors as well as secure jobs and our heritage skills.

“It’s a real testament to the work that we do to have recognition of the importance of NYMR to the region, both economically and culturally. It also means our Yorkshire’s Magnificent Journey (YMJ) project can carry on, enabling us to continue with building our conservation and heritage apprenticeship programmes, our lineside ecological conservation work, offer fuss free access for disabled visitors, grow our learning offer at Pickering and Goathland, and of course reach out to individuals, groups and communities to share our passion for the history of the region through steam travel.

“Thank you to Arts Council England and the Culture Recovery Fund.”

Andrew Scott CBE, Vice Chair of the NYMR’s Trustees thanked the MPs for their support and said

“We all breathed a great sigh of relief when we heard that our application for Cultural Recovery funds had been successful. It means we can keep our irreplaceable team of more than 100 staff together and play our role in attracting the visitors who will reinvigorate the National Park’s economy just as soon as the Coronavirus situation allows. We will now, for the first time, be able to run a winter service including dining trains as soon as lockdown finishes”.

Thirsk, Malton and Filey MP Kevin Hollinrake said the £1,904,902 Cultural Recovery Grant for the North York Moors Railway is a much needed lifeline and wonderful news. He said it will help maintain skilled staff and care for the historic locomotives in the museum’s collection. The North York Moors Historical Railway (NYMR) is the longest heritage railway in the UK, stretching for 18 miles through the North York Moors National Park, and is one of the biggest employers in the area supporting the region’s tourism economy.

In a joint letter of support for the grant to Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden MP, Mr Hollinrake and Scarborough and Whitby MP, Robert Goodwill, wrote

“Like many other businesses this year NYMR has been hard hit by the pandemic. Its current forecasts estimate that visitor numbers will be 15% of usual capacity, with the prospect of restricted operating and events opportunities for at least a further six months along with reduced maintenance and renewal investment resulting in a huge funding gap NYMR is an attraction like no other and one that we absolutely must preserve not only for its dedicated workforce, most of whom are volunteers, but also for the millions who use it and for those who stand in awe as it chugs through the beautiful countryside. We urge you to give it your full backing”.

Speaking after the announcement Mr Hollinrake said

“This is an iconic feature of North Yorkshire and this money will help save jobs and preserve it for the millions of visitors who enjoy it every year. It is unthinkable that we could lose it and this money will help preserve it for future generations.”

Robert Goodwill MP said

“Not only does this grant secure the survival of an iconic tourist attraction that brings so many visitors to our area year after year but also the North Yorkshire Moors Railway is an irreplaceable element of our national historic heritage that we could never allow to be another casualty of this dreadful virus.”

Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden said

“These grants will help the places that have shaped our skylines for hundreds of years and that continue to define culture in our towns and cities.

"From St Paul’s and Ronnie Scott’s to The Lowry and Durham Cathedral, we’re protecting heritage and culture in every corner of the country to save jobs and ensure it can bounce back strongly.”

Sir Nicholas Serota, Chair of Arts Council England said

“Culture makes a huge and increasing contribution to our national life, bringing communities together, fuelling our creative industries, and representing our country on the world stage.  These grants add to those announced last month, and will put these organisations in a better position to bounce back and help their communities recover from this crisis.  The Arts Council is grateful to the government for the special support being made available to the arts and culture through the Culture Recovery Fund and we’re proud to support all the organisations receiving awards today.”