North Yorkshire Moors Railway — Attraction in Great Britain

I’m sad to say that we were rather disappointed at today’s trip. We have had some fantastic experiences on the NYMR over the past year including the Santa special. However, how things were handled today was really not ideal and meant that we had to abandon our trip to Whitby. We have a year old Husky puppy who is very good but of course can be very inquisitive and at the same time is not the smallest of dogs. We came prepared with doggie treats and one of her favourite toys and thought we would be all good as we had previously done a shorter trip earlier in the year with our pup with no issue. Before departure we sat down, encouraged our dog to go under the table as much as possible. By the time we left she was interested in what was going on around her and chose to sit in the aisle which was not ideal but we would move her whenever someone needed to pass. A member staff/volunteer was not happy and as he passed said we need to keep her out of the walkway. I said that this was proving to be difficult as I can’t pin her under the table. I got up to walk her to the end of the carriage and as I did so the train worker decides to try and barge past me and not let me through! I said ‘excuse me sir!’ and I managed to get out of the suddenly enclosed space. At this point I figured I wouldn’t be able to sit with my family on the journey from Pickering to Whitby so I sat myself down with our dog in the little cubicle area by one of carriage doors. Not ideal but I accepted that this would not be something I will be doing in the future and I need to just get through the journey there and then back to Pickering later in the day. 10mins later the train worker that had told us to keep our dog out the the aisle then had a moan at me because part of my dogs tail was near to the pathway through. I was wedged in a corner on the floor, by the door. My dog huddled up next to me… I physically could do no more apart from cut my dog’s tail off! At this point I was desperate to get off the train. My husband who is also my registered carer went and spoke to member of staff who suggested trying to find a less busy part of the train. I didn’t want to move, there was no guarantee there would be a quieter area and I didn’t want to face the other member of staff again. I elected to stay where I was. My husband and I agreed we would abort our trip as we didn’t feel welcome and get off at Goathland and get the next train back to Pickering. Just before we got off we were offered to go and sit in the luggage area… by this time it was too late. My anxiety levels were through the roof and I was desperate to get off and go home. My husband spoke to a manager at Goathland station who apologised and said she would feed this back. Our trip back to Pickering was a lot smoother as we were able to go in to one of the luggage carriages straight away and so our pup was able to settle where she chose and was more relaxed. It’s a shame this couldn’t have happened on the first train out this morning. I’m at a bit of a loss now. I fully respect that owners need to be able to keep their dogs under control and for people to get through etc but there needs to be some give and take. We were doing what we could to manage the unknown situation but didn’t feel at all supported by the NYMR team and it truthfully felt like we shouldn’t have been there at all. Views were beautiful…. For what of it we were...

This is a true jewel in the Crown of British Railways and is certainly one of the best and most picturesque railway journeys in the UK. The railway line itself runs from Pickering all the way up to Whitby, which is approx 20 miles and is certainly the longest railway journey in England and longest in the UK. The great thing all about the railway journey is the stunning diversity of scenery that you see along the journey which ranges from breathtaking forestry scenery and lovely sweet valleys in the Hole of Horcum, the serene moorland near Goathland and also lovely seaside coastal scenery of Whitby and the journey through the Hole of Horcum is best element of the route due to stunning forestry scenery on offer, which blends in beautifully with the valley bowel of the Hole of Horcum. The journey between Pickering and Whitby stops at a number of stations including Levisham where enjoy great walks around the Hole of Horcum, Goathland, which has a great old station full of great character and a lovely stroll around Heartbeat Country and a nice walk to Mallayan Spout Waterfall, Grosmont where you can visit the Engine Sheds viewing the excellent Steam and Diesel Locomotives on offer and great walk around the lovely village of Grosmont and also brillant tunnel and Whitby where you can visit the Abbey and Museum and enjoy views of the sea and coast. Pickering itself is a great station full of wonderful character and in Pickering you can visit the Beck Isle Museum and Castle. There a number of great steam and diesel locomotives you can enjoy including No.80134 BR Standard Class, No. 47077 North Star Class 47, No. 37264 Class Class 37, No 5428 Treacy Class, No. 31128 BR Class 31 Diesel Electric with rides also on No.60007 Sir Nigel Gresley on occasions and all of these steam and diesel locomotives are in fantastic condition and make the journey very comfortable and relaxing. All the staff are very friendly and welcoming making the railway all the more very special and unique. There are a number of shops and cafes at each of the stations selling souvenirs, food and drink at reasonable prices. Overall this is a very special and stunning and spectacular place to visit, which makes for a truly wonderful special memorable and enjoyable day out. Definitely well worth a visit whilst in the area of North York Moors...

My lady friend and I have had many enjoyable days out on the NYMR, but unfortunately our last trip in October 2024 was DEFINITELY not one of them. I described our unpleasant experiences in a balanced and factual review, posted both on this site and also on Tripadviser, entitled:

STANDING ROOM ONLY ON WHITBY PLATFORM.

Whilst the latter one-star review can still be found under Tripadviser Reviews of NYMR , the adverse review on this official NYMR site has mysteriously vanished.

There are several important managerial issues that we would like to discuss personally with your new CEO, Ms. Strangeway, but have been told repeatedly that this is not possible. Whilst your Customer Services have tried to be diplomatic and helpful, they have failed to address the problems described in my October review and are probably not empowered to review company policies nor to take disciplinary action against rogue employees or volunteers when required.

National and international interest in NYMR was at an all-time high after the excellent Channel 5 TV series entitled: 'The Yorkshire Steam Railway'. Unfortunately it has declined since then as a result of the Covid pandemic, changes in your Boardroom and unrealistically high ticket prices. Furthermore, the response to constructive or adverse reviews tends towards the dismissive, rather than the apologetic or explanatory. In my opinion, the CEO should be available and prepared to discuss valid concerns that their...