North Yorkshire Moors Railway given lottery grant

The railway runs along 24 miles (39km) of steep inclines between Pickering and Whitby

A 180-year-old steam railway which has been used as a location for several films has been given a lottery grant for a preservation project.

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) runs steam trains between Pickering and Whitby, attracting about 300,000 passengers a year.

It has been used in films such as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Phantom Thread, with Daniel Day-Lewis.

The £4.4m grant will be used to make four carriages wheelchair-friendly.

It will also cover the renewal of Goathland Station bridges and a new carriage stabling point close to Pickering.

The railway runs along 24 miles (39km) of steep inclines and remote landscapes.

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It is owned and operated by a charitable trust that employs 100 people, also relying on about 1,000 volunteers.

The railway is owned and operated by a charitable trust that employs 100 people

John Bailey, NYMR Trust chairman, said: "This is just incredible news - and I am so proud of everyone at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway who has worked so hard to achieve this amazing success.

"We'd like to thank the National Lottery Heritage Fund, RPA and the York, North York and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership who have made this possible.

"These are exciting times for everyone who cares for the railway, our visitors, supporters, staff and volunteers.

"This is the most ambitious project we've ever undertaken and will build on our successful growth in recent years, so we can all achieve even more in the future."