The War Weekend in the North York Moors, Pickering, Levisham, Goathland, Grosmont and Whitby has been scheduled for 12, 13 and 14 October 2012.
An exceptionally popular event, 2012 will be the 20th year for the North York Moors Railway’s Wartime Weekend as visitors take a nostalgic trip back to 1940s wartime Britain.
Vintage Car Parade, Pickering
Events will include:
a flag-raising ceremony to get proceedings under way, commemorating the many who died in service on the railways during the war
huge parade on the Saturday morning in the market place in Pickering
air raid at Pickering Station
1940s musical shows and music
land army vintage tractor display
jive music and dancing
home front displays
French café in Le Visham (German-occupied Levisham)
Home Guard display, Anderson shelter display
Commemorating those who served on the Home Front
The 2011 War Weekend drew record crowds to the North York Moors including hundreds of re-enactors from all over the UK and Europe (we spoke to a Polish chap from Stratford and a German re-enactor who’d come over from Düsseldorf for the weekend). And whilst Grosmont, Goathland and Pickering all put on brilliant shows and events, Levisham stole the show this year, tranformed into French Le Visham, a continental rural station under German occupation with a fabulous French café in an atmospheric marquee and a full-size replica flying V1 bomb.
In the meantime, here are a few pictures of the 2011 weekend to whet your appetite:
Youngsters preparing for a busy daySoldiers block the road into the market square in PickeringRe-enactors maintain a road block in PickeringA spiv has his papers checked in Pickering1940s shoes!Pickering Vintage Car Parade gets under wayThe vintage car parade attracted thousands to Pickering's market placeAustin Utility Van in the Pickering Vintage Car ParadeThis little red cross dog attracted lots of attentionHome Guard despatch rider in Pickering Market PlaceThousands line the streets as the parade marches down Birdgate, PickeringParade snakes down Birdgate, PickeringRe-enactors line the streets during the paradeRe-enactors await the next train at Pickering StationSunshine beats down on Pickering StationChecking the news from the frontYoung and old all chip in to help recreate the 1940s feel11:30 Pickering to Whitby train arrives on timeView from the train window as passengers queue to boardRe-enactors chat on the platformVeteran passes famous 1940 Churchill posterDancers from across the UK perform on Grosmont Station platformVeteran enjoys the late autumn sunshine in GrosmontSteam train prepares to pull out of Grosmont and on to Goathland on a beautiful October afternoonCouple Lindy Hop on Grosmont StationLand girls share a story at Goathland StationBeautiful shire horse attracts plenty of attentionLocal youngsters enjoy the vintage vehicles on showSteam train heads towards LevishamWaffen-SS soldier in Le VishamPersonnel from the Feldgendarmerie and the Wehrmacht patrol Le VishamWaffen-SS soldier in reflective moodSS motorbike and sidecar at Le VishamLevisham Station's sign is replaced with occupied Le VishamGerman submariner re-enactor from Düsseldorf takes a breather at Le VishamLocal girl accosted by German re-enactors
…and here’re a handful of pictures from the 2007 NYMR War Weekend:
Sir Nigel Gresley pulls into Pickering StationAmerican serviceman with cute companionRe-enactor looks the partGetting prepared for an air raidCommando alights at GrosmontAmerican waits to board the train at GrosmontBeautiful vintage Merlin at Goathland Station1940s-style boy aboard a train being pulled by the Sir Nigel GresleyThe end of a long weekend, time for a rest in Pickering
