North Yorkshire Moors Railway reaches £400,000 milestone for Bridge 42’s vital repairs
The North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) has reached a huge milestone of £400,000 towards its ongoing Bridge 42 Appeal.
This is a vital initiative needed to temporarily stabilise and permanently repair the heritage bridge.
The achievement takes the appeal more than halfway towards its final fundraising target.
The fundraiser was launched earlier this year, with the aim to raise the estimated £800,000 needed to repair a bridge between Grosmont Level Crossing and the tunnel.
The structure is one of more than 30 vital bridges and culverts that carries trains and passengers every year through the North York Moors.
The funds have been raised by donations from supporters across the world, with donors who give £25 and over receiving a free limited-edition pin badge with exclusive artwork by artist David Cockayne.
So far, 754 pin badges have been issued to generous donors and 69 of the 100 limited edition lino prints of the bridge artwork have been sold online and in store.
The NYMR was also awarded a £50,000 contribution from North York Moors National Park’s S106 Landscape and Ecology fund under the Restoration of Degraded Heritage Assets scheme.
Members and supporters outside the NYMR have also organised their own campaigns, with fundraising efforts including Jacob Newsome and a group of supporters who undertook an ambitious sponsored walk on August 15, 2026 from Pickering to Whitby in aid of the Bridge 42 appeal and Cancer Research UK following his dad’s recent cancer diagnosis.
To encourage further donations, several thrill seeking supporters are taking the plunge from the only bridge bungee jump in England.
On September 20, staff and volunteers of the heritage railway will bungee jump 42m rom Larpool Viaduct in Whitby in a brave effort to rack up additional donations for the vital work.
Laura Strangeway, CEO at NYMR, said: “We are enormously grateful for the generous support we have received so far, including the grant awarded by the North York Moors National Park.
“But there is still more to do.
"Every donation takes us another step towards our goal and helps secure the future of the NYMR for generations to come.”
Following detailed inspections, temporary propping has been installed at Bridge 42 to ensure continued safe and reliable operation throughout the 2026 season.
This interim measure allows trains to cross without disruption while the substantive repair programme is developed.
A full structural restoration is scheduled for winter 2026/27, which is dependent on the securing of necessary funding to complete the repairs.
Once the target of over £800,000 is reached, a repair programme will get underway that restores Bridge 42 to full structural integrity.
Laura, who is leading the fundraising efforts with her team at the heritage railway, added: “The repair of Bridge 42 is a complex project for us and one that is incredibly important to complete so that the NYMR can continue to be the heritage railway that we all love.
"To reach over £400,000 is an incredible milestone, and we continue to explore all other funding opportunities and partnerships as we move towards our fundraising target.
"he funding raised will ensure that this historic route remains open and continues to be a vital heritage, economic, and community asset that boosts the regional economy, protects railway heritage, and supports local livelihoods.”
Visit www.nymr.co.uk/bridge42 to donate.