Britain's locomotive heritage celebrated at North Yorkshire Moors Railway annual steam gala

The guest locomotives are the No.60007 Sir Nigel Gresley, No. 4079 Pendennis Castle, and T3 class steam locomotive No. 563. In addition to these special guests, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway will be showcasing its home fleet including; Black 5 No. 44806, Black 5 No. 5428 'Eric Treacy', 9F Class No. 92134, SR Schools No. 926 'Repton', Lambton Tank No. 29 'Peggy', Cockerill No. 8 'Lucie', NER Class P3 No. 2392, and No. 2253 ‘Omaha’.

The No.60007 is a renowned member of the LNER A4 Pacific class, designed by the celebrated railway engineer, Sir Nigel Gresley and entered service in 1937. Pendennis Castle was built in 1924 and stood alongside ‘Flying Scotsman’ at the 1925 British Empire Exhibition at Wembley with a notice proclaiming her to be the most powerful passenger express locomotive in Britain. The T3 class steam locomotive No. 563 was built in 1893 to a design by engineer William Adams.

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway Trust operates one of the earliest and most historic lines in the North of England that takes visitors on picturesque journeys along an 18-mile railway line aboard steam and heritage diesel trains.

Paul 'Piglet' Middleton is the Director of Mechanical Engineering at North Yorkshire Moors Railway. He told GB News: "The steam gala is the real highlight of the year for us. This is our showcase event, so we've got guest engines in from all around the country.

"We've got Sir Nigel Gresley, big Air Force Pacific, it's a stunning machine. It really is beautiful. We've also got the T3 from the Swanage Railway which is a Victorian high speed passenger engines, and again it's really stunning. It's an earlier design, much smaller than Sir Nigel Gresley but very big wheels just designed for speed.

"We've also got Pendennis Castle which is a Great Western Railway big four cylinder express loco, plus our home fleet, we've got all our engines out.

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway Trust operates one of the earliest and most historic lines in the North of England

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"Last year we had railway 200 - that's when it all started, in 1825, when Locomotion number one took that first passenger train into Darlington. So, you know, we started this game in the world and we're still good at it now.

"It's incredibly important to preserve it because it's part of our history and we should be celebrating that, and the great thing about Heritage Railway is it's very immersive. You've got the sounds, the smells, the whole atmosphere.

"It's not just a static museum - these machines are working for a living and you can come and you can ride behind the engines."

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) is a preserved historic railway stretching for 18 miles through the heart of the North York Moors National Park, from Pickering via Levisham, Newton Dale and Goathland to Grosmont, with a further 6 mile extension over Network Rail’s Esk Valley line to Whitby.

The four day event runs from Thursday 24th to Sunday 28th September

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It is the largest preserved heritage railway in the UK in terms of route mileage operated and passenger numbers.

Following its initial opening in 1836, the deviation line via Goathland opened in 1865. This removed a steep section of line between Grosmont to near the summit that normal trains could not cope with. The line then operated this way to its closure as a main line route in 1965.

The NYMR is currently fundraising for repair work to Bridge 42 at Grosmont. After 180 years of service, the Grade II listed structure now needs urgent repairs to keep trains running safely into the future. It supports around 10,000 locomotive movements each year, and has stood proudly over the River Murk Esk since 1846.

"A lot of as well as the steam engines, we have a lot of infrastructure to try and maintain," said Paul 'Piglet' Middleton, the Director of Mechanical Engineering, at North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

The heritage railway preserves the past and protects the legacy of heritage diesel and steam travel

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"We've currently got bridge 42 that's in need of some pretty urgent repairs at the moment. So that's a really big project for us and a really important one, because everyone thinks of the steam engines because they're lovely and shiny as they are.

"But if the bridge isn't fit for service, then you can't run the railway. So the infrastructure is as if not more important than the steam engines themselves."

The heritage railway preserves the past and protects the legacy of heritage diesel and steam travel.

Graham McHugh is a NYMR Station Foreman Inspector. Speaking to GB News at the steam gala in Grosmont, he said: "This is my 16th season here. What I get out of it is meeting with people and basically seeing history in action.

Fair attendees have told GB News about their experiences

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"It's good to see that these heritage engines are actually preserved and, you know, kept for the next generations on, and that's what it's all about, as far as I can see. We're custodians ready for the next generation."

The sights and sounds of the steam engines are nostalgic for some and new to others.

Paul Henning and his wife attended the steam gala in Grosmont, North Yorkshire, and travelled from Dartmouth. They visit annually and Paul said: "I do like steam trains and all the infrastructure and all the bits and pieces that go with it, and I know what they go through to get them up and running, and it's a lot of hard work.

"I love the steam, the smell, the oil, the muck, the dirt, everything."

Richard Newton is another steam train enthusiast who attended the event at NYMR. He told GB News: "The fact remains that they [steam trains] are so powerful, and they're using very basic materials, water and coal, to produce a locomotive that actually can run up to 100 miles an hour.

"There's something very significant about the fact that you can see all the motion in operation. The steam comes out, the wheels go around, the coupling rods move back and forth. You see the pistons going in and out. It's absolutely fabulous. It's just fantastic to see something that that's been saved for the future."

Marilyn Levett attended the steam gala with her husband and said: "I like the period, the age, because it's such a bygone era, isn't it? You know, we don't have that anymore. They've got the stations done in the old style too, it's just great."

Lorna Sharp was at the steam gala and had got tickets to ride behind the locomotive, Sir Nigel Gresley. She visited from Derbyshire for the first time and said: "I like the sounds, the sights, the steam. It's really important to preserve the heritage railways for us, particularly for young people, to help them have a connection with the past."

Neil Sharp visited the heritage railway at NYMR from Edinburgh. He said: "It's just amazing to see them [steam trains] in action, and it's great the way they are the built and still in service to this day.

"It's old fashioned, but I think the old stuff is far better than the modern stuff."

Day tickets to the Annual Steam Gala are priced as they were in 2025, starting at £49.50 per adult, with Kids Go Free (aged 0-15 years old). An Annual Steam Gala Donation Ticket is available per day for £54.45. Multi-day tickets are available, and visitors with Patron and Ambassadors membership gain free access to the Annual Steam Gala.

For visitors who cannot attend the Annual Steam Gala, the NYMR are running special pre-booked seat allocated services this September and October featuring legendary locomotives: No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley and No. 4079 ‘Pendennis Castle’ as part of the Rockstar Engines services.

To book tickets and for more information visit www.nymr.co.uk/steamgala.