Tourist and Enthusiast Railways

Yorkshire & the Humber

“Polar Express” train on the Wensleydale Railway
LMS class 5 4-6-0 no.45407 The Lancashire Fusiler
heads a Polar Express special on the Wensleydale Railway
Abbeydale Miniature Railway
Sheffield. 5 / 7¼ in (127 / 184 mm) gauge, steam or diesel hauled. Club railway open to the public typically 2 Sundays each month from Easter to October, and in December,
Appleby Frodingham Railway
Near Scunthorpe. Operates on the extensive standard gauge network of the Scunthorpe works of British Steel. Steam hauled or diesel railcars. Operates 2 or 3 Saturdays each month from May to October.
Castleton Light Railway
Near Castleton Moor Northern Rail station. Private 2 ft (610 mm) gauge railway about 160 yards (150 m) in length, using former industrial equipment. Occasionally open to vistors by prior invitation (No website located at present)
Cedarbarn Miniature Railway
Pickering. 7¼ in (184 mm) gauge miniature railway about 650 yards (600 m) in length, battery electric diesel outline locomotive hauled. Operates for about 2 hours every Sunday throughout the year, weather permitting.
Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway
Cleethorpes. Kingsway to Lakeside, about 1200 yards (1100 m). 15 in (382 mm) gauge, Usually steam hauled.
Crowle Peatland Railway
Crowle Moor. 3 ft (914 mm) gauge, currently about 500 yards (450 m) in length, extension proposed to approximately double that. Diesel hauled using original peat railway equipment. Operates one or two weekends each month from May to October, and in December.
Daktari Express
Flamingo Land, Kirkby Misperton, near Malton. 2 ft (610 mm) gauge railway a little over ½ mile (0.9 km) in length, with 3 stations. Admission fee to the Park is payable. Operates every day, Easter to October.
Derwent Valley Light Railway
Murton Park, near York. Line about ½ mile (800 m) in length. Standard gauge, diesel hauled. Admission fee to the Park is payable. Operates Sundays and Bank Holiday weekends, Easter to September.
Elsecar Ironworks
Long term project to reopen a heritage railway from the redeveloped Ironworks site to Hemingfield Colliery, about ¾ mile (1.2 km). Planned for operation by a replica steam locomotive using sustainible fuel.
Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway
Embsay (near Skipton) to Bolton Abbey: 4 miles (6.4 km). Standard gauge, steam or diesel hauled or historic diesel railcars. Operates most weekends and many weekdays, April to October, and on a few other days during the year. Inclusive dining services operate at certain times. There is also a 7¼ in (184 mm) gauge miniature railway about 700 yards (640 m) in length, the Hambleton Valley Miniature Railway at Bolton Abbey station.
Grreat Withernsea Railway
Holmpton, near Withernsea. 7¼ in (184 mm) gauge miniature railway about 400 yards (365 m) in length, extension proposed. Usually steam hauled. Private railway open to the public on a few days each year.
Grimsby and Cleethorpes Model Enginering Society
Waltham, near Grimsby. 5 in (127 mm) / 7¼ in (184 mm) gauge miniature railway about 720 yards (660 m) in length. Usually steam hauled. Club line open to the public Sundays and Bank Holidays late March to early November, Wednesdays in August, and on a few other days.
KDMES
Marley Activity Centre, Keighley. 3½ and 5 in (89 and 127 mm) gauge miniature railway ¼ mile (0.4 km) in length. Steam or battery electric hauled. Club railway open to the public typically one Sunday each month from April to December.
Keighley and Worth Valley Railway
Keighley (adjacent to Northern Trains station) to Oxenhope: 5 miles (8 km). Standard gauge. Steam and diesel hauled and diesel railcars. Operates most weekends and many weekdays March to December. Dining trains operate at certain times.
Lightwater Express
Lightwater Valley theme park, near Ripon. 15 in (381 mm) gauge miniature railway ¾ mile (1.2 km) in length, with 3 stations. Admission fee to the Park is payable. Open weekends and a few weekdays, April to October, daily during school holidays.
Middleton Railway
Middleton, Leeds. Line about 1 mile (1.6 km) in length. Standard gauge. Steam and diesel hauled. Operates weekends and some weekdays, April to October, or by private charter
National Coal Mining Museum
Overton (near Wakefield). The museum includes two short passenger carrying narrow gauge lines. Admission to the museum site is free of charge.
National Railway Museum
Has a 7¼ in (184 mm) gauge miniature railway about 150 yards (135 m) in length. Admission fee to the museum is payable.
Newby Hall Railway
10¼ in (260 mm) gauge miniature railway in the gardens of Newby Hall, near Ripon. Steam or diesel hauled. Operates Tuesdays to Sundays, April to September, except a few days when the house and grounds are hosting special events
North Yorkshire Moors Railway
Pickering to Grosmont: 18 miles (29 km). Some trains continue to Whitby over the Network Rail line, a further 6 miles (10 km). Standard gauge. Steam and diesel hauled. Dining trains operate at certain times. Operates daily from April to October, and certain days in December.
Poppleton Community Railway Nursery
Private 2 ft (610 mm) gauge railway at the nursery, intended for use in transporting materials around the nursery site. The nursery site is open 3 days per week throughout the year, but the railway operates only occasionally for demonstration purposes, and not for rides.
Pugneys Light Railway
Pugneys Country Park, Wakefield. Line about 750 yards (686 m) in length. 7¼ in (184 mm) gauge, steam, diesel or battery electric hauled. Operates weekends and school holidays throughout the year, weather permitting.
Royds Park Railway
Royds Park, Cleckheaton. 7¼ in (184 mm) gauge miniature railway. Usually steam hauled. Club railway open to the public one or two Sundays each month and various other days from March to December.
Ravensprings Park
Ravensprings Park, Brighouse. Line about 330 yards (300 m) in length, 7¼ in (184 mm) gauge, steam or diesel hauled. Club railway open to the public one or two Sundays each month, May to September. Time limited visits, advance booking required. Also available for private hire on Saturdays during the summer.
Ryedale Society of Model Engineers
Gilling East, near York. Line about 400 yards (360 m) in length. 3½ in (89 mm) / 5 in (127 mm) / 7¼ in (184 mm) gauge, usually steam hauled. Club railway open to the public most Sundays, April to September.
Saltburn Cliff Tramway
Saltburn. Cliff lift wth a rise of 120 feet (36 m) at a gradient of 1 in 1.4 (71%). Operates typically 5 days each week in winter, daily during the rest of the year.
Saltburn Miniature Railway
Saltburn. Line about 1100 yards (1 km) in length. 15 in (381 mm) gauge. Steam, or steam outline diesel locomotives. Operates daily, Easter to October.
Scarborough Cliff Lifts
Scarborough North Bay Railway
Scarborough, Scalby Mills to Peasholm Park: about ¾ mile (1.2 km). 20 in (508 mm) gauge. Diesel hauled with steam outline locomotives. Operates daily April to October, most weekends and school holidays throughout the year.
Scarborough Spa Express
Steam trains operating on Network Rail routes from Carnforth to York and Scarborough.
Shibden Railway
Shibden Park, Halifax. Line about 750 yards (685 m) in length. 10¼ in (260 mm) gauge, steam or diesel hauled. Operates weekends and school holidays throughout the year, wetather permitting.
Shipley Glen Tramway
Saltaire. Unique cable hauled tramway, over 100 years old. Line 386 yards (353 m) in length, with a maximum gradient of 1 in 7 (14%). 20 in (508 mm) gauge. Operates most weekends throughout the year.
Thornes Park Miniature Railway
Thornes Park, Wakefield. 7¼ in (184 mm) gauge miniature railway about ½ mile (0.8 km) in length. Steam or diesel hauled. Club line open to the public most Sundays throughout the year.
Wensleydale Railway
Scruton to Redmire: about 17½ miles (28 km). Extension from Scruton to Northallerton West, about 4 miles (6.4), currently closed, reopening planned. Standard gauge. Steam or diesel hauled or diesel railcars. Operates most weekends and many weekdays, February to December.
West Riding Small Locomotive Society
Tingley, near Wakefield. Line about 220 yards (200 m) in length. 5 in (127 mm) / 7¼ in (184 mm) gauge, steam, diesel or battery electric hauled. Club railway open to the public on Sundays from April to September.
Whistlestop Valley
Clayton West to Shelley: 3 miles (4.8 km). 15 in (381 mm) gauge. Usually steam hauled. Operates weekends, school holidays, and a few other days throughout the year.
Woldie’s Miniature Railway
Woldie’s Lavender & Nature Farm, Wintringham, near Malton. Line about 550 yards (500 m) in length. 7¼ in (184 mm) gauge, diesel hauled. Admission to the farm is payable, in addition to charge for train rides. Operates most days from April to September. Unusually for such a small gauge railway, in addition to carrying passengers, this line carries freight in the form of cut lavender from the fields directly into the distillery.
Wortley Top Forge Miniature Railway
Top Forge Industrial Museum, Wortley, near Sheffield. Line about 600 yards (540 m) in length. 5 in (127 mm) / 7¼ in (184 mm) gauge, steam or battery electric hauled. A small admission fee to the site is payable. Operates Sundays and Bank Holidays, Easter to early November.
Yorkshire Industrial Heritage Project
Project to rehabilitate the site of the former Upton and North Elmsall station and establish a greenway on part of the route of the Hull & Barnsley Railway. Future aspirations including building a replica of the original station building and establishing a heritage railway of about 2¼ miles (4 km) on the original trackbed from the station to Barnsdale Bar.
Yorkshire Wolds Railway
Sledmere and Fimber station, north of Wetwang. Line about 333 yards (305 m) in length, standard gauge. Extension proposed to Green Lane, a total distance of about 1500 yards (1.4 km). Cab rides in a diesel shunter locomotive. Operates Sundays and Bank Holidays, April to October.
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Uncredited image from the photo archive of Wensleydale Railway