The North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) is among over 60 organisations taking part in the third annual ‘Love Your Railway' campaign.
As well as the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, many other heritage railways nationwide are joining forces in the campaign to raise awareness of their importance as a tourism destination.
As well as educating visitors and telling the story of Britain's railways by highlighting the significant role railways played through the industrial revolution, they also provide local jobs, volunteer opportunities, and community engagement.
The nationwide campaign brings together organisations from as far afield as the Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Snowdonia, and the Lake District to focus on heritage railway organisations and encourages visitors to support them this summer.
This is the campaign's third year, and each year more heritage railways take part.
‘Love Your Railway' runs for six weeks from today, 5th June to Sunday, 16th July, and is being led by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway to explain topics such as conservation, education, and research.
This is the campaign's third year, each week has a special theme, including Volunteers, Fundraising, Community, Education, History, and Restoration.
Heritage railways taking part in the campaign will encourage visitors and supporters to become involved and share photos and memories of their visits on social media using #LoveYourRailway
Between them, the UK's heritage railways such as the North Yorkshire Moors Railway have over 560 miles of railway line.
Each year they carry over 13 million passengers and contribute £400 million to the local economy.
To keep them running they have 22,000 volunteers and over 4,000 paid employees.
Chris Price, General Manager at NYMR, said: “For the past two years, we've been so thrilled by the response to Love Your Railway, as it is bigger and better each year. For the first year there were over 50 heritage railways taking part in the campaign, and last year we saw nearly 100, which is phenomenal, so we have high hopes for 2023.
“This year, we have some exciting new ideas and elements planned for the campaign and love that even more organisations have come together to help us spread the word.
“The aim of the campaign is simple – there are more than 150 operational heritage railways, which protect, conserve and bring to life part of the nation's rich cultural heritage – giving enjoyment and learning to thousands of people every year and we want to do all we can to raise awareness of every heritage railway across the country.”
Steve Oates, Chief Executive at The Heritage Railway Association, said: “For the past two years, ‘Love Your Railway' secured collaborations from as far afield as Cornwall, Suffolk, North Wales, North East Scotland and Northern Ireland, with over 50 heritage railway organisations taking part. We're really proud to back this campaign and look forward to seeing many more rail organisations get involved in the inaugural campaign.”
