Heritage Railway

Moorsline needs 200,000 volunteer hours per season

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THE North Yorkshire Moors Railway needs its volunteer team to cover 200,000 hours during a normal operating season – an average of 22 hours per person every month.

Figures released by Britain's most popular heritage line in terms of passenger numbers revealed that 14% of volunteers have given service for more than 20 years, and 15% travel more than 160 miles to get there.

More than 50% support the operating department, while the biggest department is the footplate department with a team of more than 210 volunteer engine cleaners, firemen and drivers. The second biggest volunteer department is the motive power depot, with 73 regular volunteers.

Also, a team of 15 work strategica­lly with the North Yorkshire Moors National Park to conserve and manage wildlife, as highlighte­d in our special feature in issue 278.

The figures were released at the start of the June 1-7 national volunteers' week.

The line's head of volunteer developmen­t Marcus Aldrich said: “Our volunteers are the life and soul of the railway, without whom we simply wouldn't be able to run.”

Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer on the line is invited to visit nymr.co.uk/volunteer or alternativ­ely become a virtual fundraiser: see nymr. co.uk/virtual-volunteers

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