A HISTORIC railway attraction has received a huge cash boost after people rallied round to help keep its future on track.

During the height of lockdown, there were concerns that the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) may not survive the loss of visitor income.

The NYMR operates seasonally and was due to open on April 4.

Being unable to operate has meant that the registered charity had to reach out to the general public for financial support and it launched a Crisis Appeal in March.

Now its members have confirmed that is has received more than £350,000 in donations thanks to a mixture of silent auctions, a virtual shop launch, Friday night quizzes, and generous donations.

Chris Price, general manager at NYMR said: “The public support has been overwhelming and thanks to local companies, the railway sector, and the general public who have rallied together and demonstrated their support over the past three months, I’m optimistic about the railway’s future.

"The Government’s announcement yesterday was greatly received by the whole team here.

"We are busy readying ourselves to be open for the summer and finally get our attraction up and running for the 2020 season.

"But with our plans to reopen, come further costs. To give an idea, a broken locomotive spring costs about £1,000 to replace, a new boiler pressure relief valve £2,500, a live steam injector £5,000, and to reprofile a locomotive’s tyres costs around £10,000.

"All essential if we are to welcome visitors aboard once more so the next few months are undeniably going to be a challenge for us."

In order to help save money for essential costs, the NYMR has made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s annual Steam Gala event, which was originally planned for September.

Mr Price said he knew the cancellation would be a 'real disappointment' for enthusiasts, but ensuring the attraction has a future beyond the summer is paramount.