The North Yorkshire Moors Railway has launched an ambitious fundraiser to maintain a critical portion of the British heritage.
The charity is seeking a donation of at least £200,000 to the £400,000 needed to restore the steam engine of Green Night No. 75029.
One of the six locomotives of this type, built in the 1950s, remains, but has been grounded for the past decade due to large cracks in the fire box.
Green Knight is a railroad mainstay, carrying passengers and cargo, and carried Olympic torches from Whitby ahead of the 2012 London Olympics match.
One of only six locomotives of this type, built in the 1950s, remains
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Paul Middleton, director of safety, operations and compliance at North Yorkshire Moors Railway, spoke to GB News.
He states: “It's (Green Night) a four-class engine of the UK's railway standard. It's the perfect engine for railroads. It's wonderfully powerful. It's easy to operate. It's very modern for steam engines.
“It came to the North Yorkshire Moores Railroad in the early 2000s, where it was restored and now it needs repair.
“We need a whole new copper firebox and copper, thick plates, expensive, and that's what we need.
“If you do it once and then do an overhaul, it's a good thing for another 50 or 60 years, so it's a good job.
North Yorkshire's Moor River Railway is one of the earliest and most historic lines in northern England, taking a picturesque journey along the 18-mile railway line on a steam and heritage diesel train.
Its origins go back quite a bit over a century and a half, and was an important trade link between Pickering and Whitby.
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It has been grounded for the past 10 years due to a large crack in the fire box.
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The line was registered as a charity in February 1973 under the title of the Historic Railway Trust in North York Moors, and has since been dedicated to keeping history alive.
Richard Pearson, a project and planning engineer for North Yorkshire Moors Railway, told GB News what it takes to restore Green Knight.
He states: “The boiler requires most of the work, but mechanically in good condition. It didn't run for miles before retracting.
“These are work engines that you need to go out there and make a living. You have the engines in the place, in the museum. They're all great and shiny, but they're just sitting there, right?
“We're a train where we work. We have to make our engines work. People come and see the steam engines that work. So we have to use them and let them do what they're made.
The fundraiser is also linked with important milestones on UK rail travel, as it marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Modern Railway this year.
The fundraiser is also linked with important milestones on UK rail travel, as it marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Modern Railway this year.
GB News
Paul Middleton, director of safety, operation and compliance at North Yorkshire Moors Railway, said, “We will be starting steam engines in the UK and continuing to operate them. This year marks the 200 year of the railway, and it all began here in the northeast.
“We are extremely proud of it and want to make sure we have been continuing the story for another 200 years.
“I may not be here, but the team and the railroads will. It's important that we pass the skills and keep these engines running.
“It's all part of our heritage and we shouldn't forget about it — it's really important.”
A complete Green Knight overhaul is expected to take three to four years, allowing future generations to experience the magic of steam travel.
Click here to donate to Green Night renovations.
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