A railway's annual steam gala has been hailed as its best in years.
North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) attracted more than 5,500 passengers to its Annual Steam Gala, held from September 24 to 27, in a celebration of heritage rail.
This year’s event featured three iconic visiting locomotives: No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley, No. 4079 Pendennis Castle, and T3 class steam locomotive No. 563.
The four-day gala, described as hugely successful, included a packed timetable of events and trains, drawing enthusiasts and families from near and far.
Nick Simpson, head of mechanical engineering at NYMR, said: “A lot of hard work went into the preparations for the Annual Steam Gala. An event of this scale takes a huge amount of team work to put together and there is so much that goes on behind the scenes, from getting the engines ready, securing our iconic visiting locomotives. All of which wouldn’t be possible without the help of our visiting engine owners, volunteers and staff. So it is really something to see everyone’s efforts come together over the four days - and hear such great feedback from visitors.”
In addition to the guest engines, NYMR’s home fleet was also on display and in operation.
This included the 9F No. 92134, Black 5 No. 44806, SR Schools No. 926 'Repton', Lambton Tank No. 29 'Peggy', Cockerill No. 8 'Lucie', NER Class P3 No. 2392, and No. 2253 ‘Omaha’.
Visitors praised the immersive experience of travelling behind historic steam locomotives and seeing them up close.
One attendee said: "The sheer number of engines in steam was a delight to behold. "Our first trip behind an A4 pacific which I waited 40 years for."
Another said: "I loved seeing all the steam locos operating and being able to travel along the railway with them."
The Annual Steam Gala not only entertains but also supports the wider North Yorkshire community by bringing new and returning visitors to the area.
There’s still a chance to see the locomotives in action this October.
NYMR also has seasonal events planned, including Mad Alice’s Ghost and Santa Express services.