RAILWAY volunteers are helping fellow enthusiasts badly hit by flooding by giving them some of their profits to get back on track.

The North York Moors Railway (NYMR) is donating two thirds of its profits from this weekend to the Severn Valley Railway.

Based at Pickering Station, North Yorkshire, the NYMR is run entirely by volunteers and, like the Severn service, is part of the Heritage Railway system.

So they are helping the Severn Valley Railway, at Bewdley, near Birmingham, to pay for flood repairs.

The Severn Valley was badly affected by the severe flooding earlier this year and the service's line damaged.

Estimated costs to make the line and surrounding Severn Valley safe for use again by trains have been put at £2.5m.

To help raise repair funds the Severn Valley service, run by volunteers, has launched the Flood Damage Appeal.

The NYMR service is helping to ease the burden, and support the scheme, by donating the bulk of its profits from this weekend.

The general manager of the NYMR, Philip Benham said: "Like everyone in the heritage movement, we were horrified to see the damage caused to the Severn Valley. NYMR had our own problems in the floods, but nowhere near the same extent.

"We are delighted to be able to help the Flood Damage Appeal in this way, and are also very grateful to the locomotive owners who are making their engines available free of hire charge."

Many volunteers work for both the NYMR and the Severn Valley set-up creating close links.

So the NYMR is donating two thirds of its profits made from Friday, to Sunday.

The NYMR is running trains between Pickering and Grosmont and to Whitby over the weekend.

John Leach, marketing manager of the Severn Valley service, said: "It's absolutely wonderful news. Everyone has been fantastic and people have bent over backwards to help us out.

"The NYMR has done several things to help us out with this and it really is wonderful news."

For details of tickets and timetables for the NYMR contact 01751-472508 or www.nymr.co.uk Donations can be made to The Severn Valley Railway Flood Damage Appeal with details from 01299-403816.