Rail travel is arguably the most relaxing mode of transport available, and is a great way to experience and navigate through the beautiful county of Yorkshire. Whether cross country or coastal, we recommend that you take a trip on one or more of these superb Yorkshire Railways…
1. North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Traverse the beautiful North York Moors National Park by steam train! The line runs between the market town of Pickering and the seaside settlement of Whitby, stopping at Levisham, Newtondale Halt, Goathland (which you may recognise as Aidensfield from Heartbeat, and its station as Hogsmead Station in the first Harry Potter film) and Grosmont en route.
2. Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway. A great way to travel from the 19th century Embsay Station to the brand new Bolton Abbey Station, through the stunning Yorkshire Dales. A short (1.5 mile) walk will take you to the ancient ruins of Bolton Abbey and some great places to enjoy a picnic.
3. Settle-Carlisle Railway. Crossing splendid countryside and viaducts galore the Settle-Carlisle Railway affords some truly magnificent views of both natural and manmade scenery and structures. As well as standard passenger trains and freight trains, special character such as steam trains also run on the line.
4. Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. Having featured in lots of television series and films over the years, the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway attracts lots of visitors each year. The line travels from Keighley all the way to Oxenhope, and stops include Oakworth (the film location for The Railway Children) and Haworth (famous as home to the Brontë sisters).
5. Esk Valley Railway. From quirky Whitby to vibrant Middlesbrough, the Esk Valley Railway winds through the sublime countryside of the North York Moors National Park, through pretty towns and villages, including Grosmont, where the line joins the North Yorkshire Moors Railway network.
6. Wenselydale Railway. A heritage railway, running from Leeming Bar to Redmire, and stopping at Bedale, Finghall Lane and Leyburn in between. The Dales countryside is beautiful, and there are lots of fun things to hop off and do along the way.
Rail enthusiasts may also fancy taking a trip to the National Railway Museum in York, where you can see all sorts of railway-related items, with changing exhibitions that often include some of the country’s most famous trains!