North Yorkshire Moors Railway full reopening date set back - but here's what you can do over Easter holidays
North York Moors Railway will reopen fully for the new season from Saturday April 25, the attraction has confirmed today, due to delays in the long-term repairs being carried out to a key structure on its line.
A spokesperson for the NYMR said: “The ongoing and urgent project to temporarily prop Bridge 42 ahead of its long-term repair has proven to be more complicated than first anticipated.
“Bridge 42 sits between the tunnel and the station at Grosmont, which unfortunately means that from season opening on Saturday March 28 to Wednesday April 22, services will only be running between Pickering, Levisham, Newtondale Halt and Goathland stations.
“From Saturday April 25, the full line will re-open, allowing the popular heritage services to continue on to Grosmont and Whitby stations.
“We have contacted all customers who have pre-booked tickets for the 2026 season and sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused by complications to the propping of Bridge 42.
Vist nymr.co.uk/bridge42 for details of progress on the work.
The railway is inviting families to enjoy a programme of interactive activities taking place across its historic Pickering and Goathland stations this spring, ranging from a scavenger hunt, hands-on engineering challenges and storytelling sessions for young visitors.
Running throughout the Easter holidays (March 28 to April 12), the activities combine exploration, play, and learning, with events supporting the NYMR’s Bridge 42 Appeal.
Activities include:
Easter Scavenger Hunt - March 28 to April 12
At Pickering and Goathland stations, little ones can search for colourful Easter egg boards that are hidden around the stations and unscramble the mystery letters to identify the missing word.
Correct entries will be in with the chance to win an Easter egg.
Station Stay & Play - April 1, 9.30-11am
These new sessions - on the first Wednesday of every month at Pickering Station Classroom - are for under 5s, and encourage play and exploration with soft play foam blocks, tunnels, and train tracks, where children can push along steam engines and music train toys.
There is also a Cosy Corner sensory area for stories and quiet play and a Crafty Corner space for colouring, puzzles, and creative activities.
The April session will also feature a seasonal storytime followed by hands-on Easter activities.
Tickets £3 per child, and £1 per additional child.
Station Storytime - April 8, 10.30-11.30am
Families will enjoy a reading of 21 Elephants and Still Standing by April Jones Prince, which tells the true story of how PT Barnum led 21 elephants across Brooklyn Bridge in 1884 to demonstrate its strength.
After the story, children can explore different types of bridges before building their own.
Build a Bridge Challenge - April 3 to 9, 9.30am-4.30pm
This drop-in activity challenges families to build a bridge over a moving model train track in five minutes or less.
Using magnetic building tiles, little engineers must ensure the train can pass underneath while a toy car can drive across the top. .
Rhiannon Hope, Learning & Interpretation Lead at the NYMR, said: “Our Easter activities are designed to bring families together through play, storytelling, and discovery."
Heritage trains will be running from Pickering to Goathland, calling at Levisham and Newtondale Halt during Easter.
Visit http://www.nymr.co.uk/easter for more.