North Yorkshire County Council has agreed to pledge £300,000 towards the cost of renewing Bridge 30.    Our scheme was one of a number identified as being a priority transport scheme within the ‘Regional Funding Assessement’ programme.   Members of the council agreed with their officers’ recommendation to back the pledge.  Cllr Greg White, the Council’s Executive Member responsible for economic development, welcomed the decision saying:

“The North York Moors Railway makes a massive contribution to the tourism offer of the North York Moors and I am pleased we have been able, on this occasion, to help fund the renewal of this vital bridge.  Taken together with contributions from other agencies and private donors, this should be sufficient to ensure that the bridge is fixed quickly and the threat to the continued operation of full sized steam engines is lifted.

Of course the railway is also keen to return locomotive number 80135 to steam, in order to reduce their reliance on borrowed and hired in engines, so I am sure their appeal remains active and in need of further donations.”