The North Yorkshire Moors Railway in the 1970s: The Memoirs of a Heritage Railway Manager

Ever wondered what it was like to run a fledgling heritage railway?

Former General Manager of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway Bernard Warr lifts the veil on the ups and downs of running a private railway line in the 1970s. From working as a volunteer to taking on the most senior management role, all the behind the scenes ctivity is here. That the line ran at all was down to the hard work of a few dozen dedicated volunteers, all of whom had views on how it should be done and who were not afraid to come forward and give advice, whether asked for or not! Set among stunning scenery with 18 miles of mostly time-expired track, too few steam engines, one diesel locomotive and a distinctly hit and miss cash-flow situation, the railway was always going to be balanced on a knife-edge.

This is a fascinating tale providing a snapshot of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway over a few short years of its early development, now more than forty years ago.