New 40-carriage shed at Pickering ‘ready by December’
THE North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) has chosen the builder for its planned four-road carriage shed at Pickering station as part of its £10 million Yorkshire’s Magnificent Journey (YMJ) Appeal.
Award-winning construction firm Hobson & Porter is to build the cantilevered-roofed shed to house up to 40 coaches, which will enable servicing and cleaning tasks to be completed undercover for the first time.
Internally, direct platform access will be provided, and an inspection pit will provide access to carriages to carry out examinations and allow direct access to their undersides to ease regular maintenance.
The project, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the line’s supporters, is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year.
Hobson & Porter’s contracts manager Patrick Horton said: “Over the years, many thousands of people have enjoyed breathtaking steam and diesel train journeys through the stunning North Yorkshire countryside on these heritage trains. Our work will help keep these wonderful carriages in pristine condition and keep them safe when they’re not being used.
“It is going to be a challenging scheme, but our team is more than capable of working next to a live rail environment and we will be keeping any disruption to a minimum.”
NYMR general manager Chris Price said: “The benefits the carriage stable will bring will repay the investment time and time again.
“The structure will help ensure the historic vehicles survive for the enjoyment of future generations of passengers by reducing deterioration levels of the rolling stock, deliver an improved journey experience for our visitors and provide better working conditions for our staff to sustain our 1930s and 1960s carriages for our visitors to enjoy.”
The other six YMJ projects include the renewal of old bridges at Goathland station – with three iron bridges to be replaced; the conversion of four carriages to provide easier mobility access, tailored seating, wheelchair facilities and accessible toilets on every train (see separate story News page 35); the conservation of the railway lineside through the North Yorkshire Moors National Park; improved interpretation and education facilities; the provision of 12 apprenticeships to sustain the line and its activities; the establishment of a new volunteering centre and the recruitment of a new volunteer development officer to drive awareness of volunteering.
Marcus Aldrich, has been appointed to the latter to help increase volunteer numbers. In particular, he will be looking to encourage groups to volunteer. As previously reported, the NYMR has acquired a former outdoor education building at the nearby village of Snape to provide a hostel with an emphasis on group volunteering. This facility is being refurbished and it is hoped to be open by the summer.
YMJ has also provided the opportunity to recruit a lineside conservation manager, Kerry Fieldhouse, and three countryside workers to join with NYMR workers who already carry out lineside maintenance. Kerry’s role is to look at how the railway manages the lineside for the benefit of wildlife and biodiversity, so as to increase passenger enjoyment of their journey.
So far, two mechanical engineering apprentices have been appointed, both having come with heritage railway volunteer backgrounds, and will move around the different departments on the NYMR to broaden their experience.
Another apprentice has been recruited for business support, with the chosen person gaining training in the personnel and marketing departments.
Meanwhile, the first instalment of the third series of The Yorkshire Steam Railway: All Aboard documentary about the NYMR aired on Channel 5 on February 21.