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00:00Stealthy Piglet!
00:02Steam trains are my world, and I help run one of Britain's most popular heritage lines,
00:09the North Yorkshire Moes Railway.
00:14Stretching 24 glorious miles from the traditional market town of Pickering,
00:22heading over the North York Moes, and on to the coastal town of Whitby.
00:29North Yorkshire, what's not to like?
00:32It's breathtaking.
00:34I'm proud to be part of a thousand-strong team working hard to keep this 200-year-old tradition alive.
00:42That's what's brought me back all these years, it's just one big family.
00:46Together we're facing the challenges of taking steam into its third century.
00:52It takes passion.
00:54Everything that we do I'm really proud of.
00:56Skill.
00:57When you're ready Tom, do your board.
01:00And as a charity, some serious funds to keep the wheels turning on this heritage line.
01:08Five pounds, six pounds.
01:11But when you look out over this...
01:13It's beautiful, it's absolutely stunning.
01:16...and get to make people this happy...
01:19There's not a better sight than that pulling out the station.
01:22There's nothing else I'd rather do.
01:26That's my kind of day in the office.
01:28Today I'm putting an 88-year-old steam engine through its purses on one of the UK's steepest sections of track.
01:39Mind you don't lose your teeth.
01:41Yeah, they're well groaning.
01:43I'll embark on a heritage engineering first with a large-scale coal-to-oil conversion.
01:49Good job I didn't have a full English this morning.
01:52And we'll meet the volunteer who needs expert timing to keep the passengers safe.
01:58So this has to be lined up perfectly.
02:00Yeah, you don't want to drop it.
02:01Yeah, you don't want to drop it.
02:13This is Gromont.
02:15It's a village up in the North York Moes National Park.
02:20Much of its character is rooted in a Victorian past.
02:26The river Esk runs through here on its way to the North Sea.
02:29And it's home to Britain's oldest independent cooperative shop.
02:35Gromont grew in the 19th century, thanks to the area's iron ore industry
02:40and a railway that was built for both goods and passengers.
02:45Today the ironworks and mines are a thing of the past.
02:48But the railway lives on.
02:52My days often begin here as one of the team who run the North Yorkshire Moes Railway,
02:57along with around 100 full-time employees and an army of more than a thousand volunteers,
03:04we keep this historic line rolling on.
03:07Countless steam train fans come here every year to enjoy the experience of riding behind one of these beautiful engines.
03:14It's from the engine sheds here in Gromont that steam locomotives set out on the North Yorkshire Moes Railway.
03:24And here, it's where I'm climbing on board one of the stalwarts of our fleet.
03:30Number 5428, Eric Tracy.
03:33I'm going to fire it on the run up to the next stop, Goatland.
03:40Right, so we're ready to depart Gromont.
03:50It's a really steep hill out of here.
03:52It's a 1 in 49, which for a railway is a really steep incline.
03:57So we've got seven coaches on, a real heavy load, 350 tonnes.
04:01So I need to make sure I've got a good fire on.
04:04While my role today as fireman is keeping the fire burning, Sean is today's driver.
04:09And he'll be making sure that we get to Goatland safely.
04:13Now smoking.
04:14Right.
04:15My boiler's nice and full, ready to climb.
04:26Before we depart, I need to make sure that the train's safe and we get a green flag from the guard.
04:31We also need a signal and we need the crossing gates to open.
04:35And then we're good to go.
04:36So I've got plenty of fire on, boiler's full.
04:38We're all ready to go, climb the hill.
04:40It's hard work on a hop there like today as well.
04:49Green from the guard.
05:10The section of line we are travelling on today is Gromont to Goatland.
05:16It's a three and a half mile journey and it's full of history.
05:23Starting at Gromont, we'll head past some of the old miners' cottages at S Valley.
05:29Then we really begin the climb and feel that 1 in 49 gradient with the engine working pretty much flat out.
05:35As we go past the waterfall at Becol, we'll encounter some fairly tight bends.
05:41So it's not just the hill, but also the curvature of the track that we'll be thinking about.
05:54So as we come out the tunnel, I'm looking for the crossing and the signal before we can continue.
06:00Crossing clear.
06:03On this section of line, the engine is working really hard.
06:07And that's what people love to see.
06:09Us putting these big locomotives through their paces.
06:12It's just something about a locomotive powering its way up a hill.
06:27There's just nothing like it.
06:29This is our first time on a steam train in North Yorkshire.
06:32So far it's amazing.
06:34Hector loves steam trains. They're his favourite thing in the whole wide world.
06:37North Yorkshire, what's not to like?
06:38But the only reason our wheels are rolling is because of the hard graft that's been put in, in the small hours of the morning, at the motive power depot or MPD in Gromont.
06:51Running a heritage railway is a complex operation.
07:03And we rely heavily on the passions, skills and dedication of a pretty special group of people.
07:10Duty fitter and train driver Bungle is in charge, preparing the engines today.
07:17Right, so we'll see where the engines are parked.
07:20This can be the thing some mornings, you can be walking halfway to West Valley and you still haven't quite found them.
07:24So the reason we're here at five o'clock in the morning is to get these engines off shed on time, ready for the service, but in a safe manner.
07:32So I first started here when I was 17 in 2013 as an engine cleaner and slowly progressed onwards from there.
07:38So there's Eric, there's the Q6.
07:43If I get you started on Eric, I'll get these lads started on the Q6.
07:49All engines have numbers, but not all have names.
07:52When they do, it's often as a tribute, such as our Eric Tracy, after a bishop who was a prominent railway photographer.
08:01It's just one example of how steep we are in history.
08:05And that's something that drives us all, whether staff or volunteer.
08:11It becomes part of your daily routine. You are keeping heritage alive without even noticing.
08:16While Bungle is one of the staff, the rest of the early morning team are all volunteering their time for free.
08:23My sister, she works on the Pullman and she said like, oh, do you want to volunteer at the shed?
08:29You can train up to be a fireman and then eventually a driver.
08:32I'm 19 years old. I started when I was 17.
08:35Kind of like hooked on it really. That's my main hobby at this point, yeah.
08:39Dampers are closed, drain clocks are open and I checked the handbrake when we got on.
08:43So I'd say if you clean that grate, you can get a fire lit in that.
08:48That's a safety light. Yeah, sorted, yeah.
08:49I've got the grate no problem. Yeah, perfect.
08:52The coal sits on a cast iron grate inside the engine.
08:55Over time it clogs up with ash and residue called clinker.
08:59So Avanda rocks it, dropping the waste into the ash pan, keeping the fire clear, ready for the next burn.
09:07I mean, you're waking up at five o'clock in the morning.
09:09Well, early in that to get to here.
09:12And obviously you're coming here and you're pulling your back doing that.
09:16But it's a rewarding thing, I mean, at the end of the day when you like the engine.
09:20Once that's done, the last few bits are pulled through with a fire iron into the ash pan, ready to be removed later in the pit.
09:27And with the fire box clear, Avanda can chuck in fresh coal and light the fire with rags and paraffin.
09:34So one of the big things that I found when I started is that there was lots of generations, lots of walks of life.
09:42There's still some people here with steam knowledge from the days of actual operating steam pre-1968.
09:49And a lot of it is the knowledge that's getting passed down.
09:53Just a normal lighter and we'll just catch the end of the rag.
09:57Make sure we don't burn ourselves.
09:59See, it catches the light.
10:00But lighting the fire is just one of the many tasks the team have to complete before the engine can enter service.
10:14And they're up against the clock.
10:16It's up to Bungle to conduct a thorough, hands-on fitness to run examination on almost every single nut and bolt.
10:22A lot of it is just checking that the nuts are tight and that's simply by noise.
10:29Certainly dirty jobs where you're going to go in and get your hands dirty, but it's also a living job.
10:34The engine's alive and it's speaking to you while you're doing it and you need to make sure that you speak back to it effectively.
10:41As well as checking the engines are ready to run, Bungle has something equally important to take care of.
10:46It's out here, we've got our newest members of staff, the rodent officers.
10:52They're only kittens at the moment but they'll be after the breakfast.
10:57So the Titch and Clinker are the names.
11:02There they are, look, waiting for us.
11:05We're getting all excited now, they can hear the key.
11:08We've got a 40 year tradition of having station cats.
11:11They're here as a deterrent for rodents, but they're lovely for the public too.
11:16And us.
11:18You're going to keep the rodents down.
11:20And this is Titch.
11:22And show us that they also raise money for themselves, they have their own donation box.
11:26And you're completely self-sufficient, aren't you?
11:28So yeah, you're looking at me as though you want breakfast.
11:33Come on then Titch, we'll get you some food.
11:38There's yours.
11:39As well as doing the engine's ash pans, we also have the cat's ash pan to do.
11:47It's a busy morning.
11:55Back in the yard, with plenty of pressure and a fire finally at temperature,
11:59it's time to move 5-4-2-8 over to the pit.
12:02So each day, the engine goes out, you can't help but feel a warm feeling when you see, you know, I've sorted that engine, I've got that working.
12:11We lit that up.
12:12And everyone who's been part of the team does feel a high sense of pride.
12:15And I think that's what makes us tick, you know, that's what makes the railway run and that's what makes it all work so well.
12:20With Eric parked over the pit, Bungle is able to complete his final safety checks underneath.
12:30Evander can jump down and rock the ash pan to clear out any ash, clinker or refuse into the pit so it can be disposed of or recycled.
12:40Water on, please, Andrew.
12:43You can see above there, there's a grate, which currently has a hot fire on.
12:52Right, that'll do, Andrew.
12:55I'll just grab the rake over here.
12:57I'll just grab the rake over here.
13:17Right, that's that all done.
13:20Sorted.
13:21Final checks complete, and with Eric Tracy fit for traffic, the tender is stocked up with coal.
13:44All fed, watered and checked, the engine is ready for a day on the tracks.
13:51I'm ready for me to help fire it along the line towards today's destination.
13:57The picturesque village of Goatland.
14:06I'm Piglet, and I'm firing an 88-year-old steam engine from Gromont to Goatland on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway,
14:13with a train full of passengers behind me.
14:15We've left Gromont and passed the row of old miners' cottages, and we're really into the climb now.
14:26Though I've been working here since I was a young lad, these days I'm one of the people in charge of the railway, which often ties me to a desk.
14:33Sorry, driver.
14:34There's more on the floor than there is in here.
14:38That's the emergency supply.
14:40So when I do get out, it's just as much a treat for me as it is for the passengers.
14:44Just really enjoy the fresh air and the history of it. Even though it's noisy, it's peaceful if you understand what I mean.
14:55It's a picturesque route, popular with our passengers who love seeing the engines powering up the incline.
15:02Even coming from a place like New Zealand, where the landscape is spectacular, there's something about the North Yorkshire Malls that's just magical when you see a steep train going through it.
15:15It's also popular with hikers who follow what we call the Rail Trail.
15:21The Rail Trail follows the original route between Pickering and Whitby.
15:24The line was rerouted in the 1860s to bypass the steeper valleys.
15:32But there's still a climb as we head out of Grosmont, which means I need to get stuck into some hard work.
15:39And it's a bumpy ride while I'm at it.
15:42I'm finding you don't lose your teeth.
15:44Yeah, they're well-glued in.
15:47There, so I'm putting water in now.
15:49I'm going to give it as another moment.
15:50I'm going to knock the water off going into the boiler.
15:52And I'm going to put another round on.
15:58A round of coal is usually about ten shovelfuls.
16:01But on this section, it will only be a couple of minutes before I need to do it again.
16:10So this area, we're just past Lonely Pipe, and this is the steepest part of the railway.
16:15So we're really working hard now, but I've got good pressure, plenty of water in the boiler.
16:21Happy days.
16:23But it is hard work.
16:24It's been unseasonably hot and dry in recent weeks.
16:32Rushing along, it can be easy to miss how the countryside has been affected by the extreme weather,
16:38as well as by the running of the railway itself.
16:40All right, lovely driver. Thank you.
16:45But burnt patches of land, dead vegetation, and recently cut clearings are all the tell-tale signs that wildfires are an ongoing problem in this area.
16:54And this causes more work for the volunteer teams.
16:58So, surprisingly, even though we had rain yesterday, we actually had a line-side fire here.
17:04And that is one of the challenges that a coal-fired steam engine is we are getting some of them particles ejected into the air.
17:11So that's one thing we're looking at and trying to see if we can mitigate that risk.
17:15And Kerry on the line-side is also trying to mitigate that risk as well.
17:21Time for another round.
17:28Fire sparks have been a challenge for the railway ever since steam trains began.
17:33But in ever warmer times, managing them has been paramount for us all.
17:38Train!
17:40Not least, our line-side conservation team.
17:45This brilliant team, made up of a mainly volunteer workforce, is headed up by conservationist Kerry.
17:54And their job is to look after everything that sits along the 18 miles of heritage track here on the Moes.
18:01They work in all seasons, with much taking place in sites of special scientific interest.
18:07Morning!
18:08Morning!
18:09Morning!
18:10Morning!
18:11We've got two hedge trimmers and two brush carts, is that right Arnie?
18:17Yes.
18:18So my job is to look after the line-side, its habitat, its boundaries, the walls, the fences, and the people that help me work it.
18:26All right, you're all okay.
18:28Remember, 15 metres apart.
18:30We've got the harnesses and the helmets.
18:31And I'm going to need a look out for people working down when we're down on this section.
18:37Ready to go, let's get started.
18:43The priority for Kerry's team right now, is controlling the risk of line-side fires.
18:47With sparks flying out of the engines, the chance of one catching on the undergrowth is not to be underestimated.
18:54This year, we had the driest spring on record.
18:58And when conditions are dry, there's always a risk that we have to suspend the service until we get some rain.
19:04But Kerry's team are doing everything they can to help with this.
19:07You just need to try and make sure you get all the straggly ends.
19:15Because otherwise you drop more than you pick up.
19:18Yeah.
19:20Perfect.
19:25So, come next spring, the bracken that you see green here, is actually dry and dead.
19:31And that's a complete tinderbox for fires.
19:33So, if just a one stray ember rolls out of an engine, what I end up with is this whole slope side ablaze.
19:41But Kerry's work has many purposes beyond the risk of line-side fires.
19:46One of the reasons is that this is a really lovely habitat.
19:49It's got nice grasslands in it, lots of nice wildflowers.
19:52But they're becoming over-dominated by the bracken and bramble.
19:55And that's not good for the animals that live here.
19:58So, we've got adders on here.
19:59We've got slow worms, we've got common lizards.
20:01And we want to retain that habitat for them.
20:09Further along, a fire has recently taken hold.
20:13The nature of the embankment here presents Kerry and her team with a bigger challenge.
20:18We can't manage the slope because it's too steep, it's not safe to access.
20:22And it's not safe to access to put out a fire either.
20:26So, the best thing that we can do in these areas is to create fire breaks.
20:30So, where I'm standing is on the edge of the fire break.
20:32And you can see the fire line actually stops bang on here.
20:37We've removed the availability of vegetation for the fire to eat up here.
20:40And then we've got the dry stone wall.
20:42And the dry stone wall creates a fantastic final break for any fire that tries to get up here.
20:48These dry stone walls have been here since the beginning of the railway, pushing 200 years ago.
20:54They're a barrier between ourselves and the rest of the moorland.
20:57So, as well as their role as a fire break, they also keep livestock and people protected from the trains passing by.
21:05The stone work here, I think it's astounding. I think it's gorgeous. It's lovely. It's got a story to tell.
21:14The Lineside Conservation Team's dry stone wallers work regularly along the railway, headed up by Geoff,
21:21who had a career as a surveyor before becoming a volunteer.
21:24You can smell the sheep like it down here, can't you?
21:27I help with leading the dry stone walling team, largely self-taught.
21:35Having spent many years sat behind a desk to then retire and start messing around with heavy stones.
21:40It was a surprise, but there we go.
21:43Right. This is where we're going to be doing the first stage of our project.
21:48Geoff's team are tackling Millscar Wall, part of an ongoing three-year restoration project.
21:54It runs for a third of a mile along the moor's edge, winding down into the nearby hamlet of Darnoam.
22:01Its foundations have shifted and it's in a real state of disrepair.
22:04I think there's plenty to do there. Some heavy stone about. If you can move any of that, that would be absolutely marvellous.
22:15Just start moving it around and re-balancing it if we can.
22:18Yeah, some of it will have to shift out. Try and keep that to a minimum. If we can just reset some of it so that it's sort of level.
22:29The majority of the volunteers that get involved in this are, shall we say, of a certain age?
22:35I'll pass them to you.
22:41Generally speaking, it's all got to be done by hand.
22:44Yeah, let's have that big one from over there.
22:47There we are. That's excellent.
22:58Could do with a prop under there if we've got a bit of a wedgie under there.
23:04Lovely. Lovely.
23:05Yeah, we'll just get some of the high spots off this one and see if that'll slot in where we want it.
23:21Right, let's see what that looks like.
23:26Oh, that's great. Yeah, just the job. Just the job.
23:29It's lovely to think that after I'm long gone, the wool will still be doing its job with keeping everything safe.
23:36Right, gentlemen, that's about it for today.
23:40We'll come back another day when we've got our strengths back.
23:49Back with Kerry and the team at Darnham Bridge, it's been a productive day.
23:54All the bracken has been cleared.
23:55Everything that we do I'm really proud of.
23:59It's really good just to get this corner done so that we've reduced fire risk there.
24:04It's a great habitat improvement and we'll finish the rest in the autumn and winter.
24:09Excellent turnout. Very, very, very good day.
24:13Right, head down to the cafe for a cup of tea, I think.
24:16Priorities.
24:17Yes, quite right.
24:25I'm more than halfway between Gromont and Goatland, speeding through some spectacular scenery.
24:36We're passing the Water Art Bridge, where a hidden footbridge underneath gives you access to a lovely waterfall.
24:41Here the line runs on a ledge, high above the valley floor, which is occasionally visible through the trees more than 100 feet below.
24:50It's one of the places that demonstrate how closely the railway has to work with the landscape.
24:55The conditions are really nice, nice dry rail, so it's steaming really well, which is what we want.
25:02And I mean, there's no better way to travel through Yorkshire than on a bunk plate of the hard-working steam engine.
25:07It's lovely, you know, just seeing the steam from the engine and, like, all the beautiful scenery.
25:17Yeah, I could still see a bit of the heather still out in flowers, a bit late in the year, but, yeah, still a bit of it there on show.
25:24A nice little bit of purple.
25:26To get us up the incline past Beckall, the engine is more or less going flat out.
25:31There's nothing left in her.
25:32Prior driver, running all right?
25:34All right.
25:35Okay, now.
25:41And each of these shovel falls costs about a pound.
25:47So it's really expensive.
25:49Since Covid, our coal bill has more than doubled.
25:52Five pounds.
25:53And to get a train along the line...
25:55Six pounds.
25:56...can almost cost us ÂŁ600 a round trip in fuel alone.
26:00And it adds up quickly.
26:02In the busy summer season, our coal deliveries cost us about ÂŁ60,000 a month.
26:07Put some more water in.
26:09And that, as well as the fire risks these coal engines can present,
26:13has me thinking about how we can future-proof this important part of Britain's railway heritage.
26:18So last summer, I travelled down to the south coast.
26:25To the Dartmouth steam railway, to pay a visit to a couple of old friends.
26:31Loco 2253, better known as Omaha, and its owner, Peter Best.
26:37Morning. Morning. All right.
26:38How are you doing?
26:39Nice to see you again. It's been a while.
26:40Nice to see you as well.
26:41Big day coming up.
26:42It is, yeah.
26:43I mean, this is the start of what is an exciting project, isn't it?
26:45Absolutely.
26:46Oh, we'd better go and have a look at it.
26:47Yeah, let's go have a look.
26:49Omaha is an American engine I know from my youth,
26:51because it was part of our fleet back in Yorkshire in the early 90s.
26:56Built in 1943, it was shipped across the Atlantic to be used in the Allied war effort in Europe.
27:02Peter's owned it for the last decade, and it's just one of 11 engines he's bought and carefully restored,
27:08earning him a British Empire Medal for services to steam and heritage railways.
27:14Do you regret a purchase? Because, I mean, it's quite a purchase, isn't it?
27:17I mean, you don't take these things on lightly, do you?
27:20But, I mean, it's...
27:21No, the easy bit was buying it. The hardest bit is keeping it going.
27:25Yeah.
27:26After the war, most of Omaha's working life was spent on the Polish State Railway,
27:31but now it's about to embark on a new adventure.
27:34As working with Peter, we are going to convert Omaha from coal to oil.
27:39The engine will still be powered by steam, but we'll be getting rid of the coal completely.
27:44Instead, we'll be using bio-oil, possibly even rapeseed oil in the future.
27:49It's a groundbreaking mission for a loco that means a lot to Peter.
27:53So what's the story behind the name, Peter, Omaha?
27:56My father was involved in the Omaha landings on D-Day.
28:00It was named in 2019 to commemorate those men, British and American,
28:07that died on Omaha Beach.
28:10Right.
28:11And the fact it's still here now to tell this story is pretty amazing.
28:13Absolutely.
28:14And we're at the start of the new journey by oil-firing it.
28:17Yeah.
28:18Right, come on, Piglet, let's go and have a look on the foot plate,
28:24and you're going to tell me what you're going to be doing to convert my engine.
28:29This is where it's all going to change.
28:31Yeah.
28:32Yeah.
28:33So, I mean, the most noticeable change that you're going to see is that all the coal will be gone,
28:39and there'll be a big oil tank in space.
28:41Unlike it is now, where the fireman's constantly moving around the cab,
28:45shoveling the coal and chucking it into the firebox, all that's gone.
28:49In effect, we have a big steam-powered flamethrower that mixes the oil in,
28:53and that will ignite, and it will get very hot.
28:55The fireman literally sits down and controls it.
28:59But, to all intents and purposes, the rest of the engine will look just as it does.
29:03Right, let's crack on, and I'll get filthy.
29:05Excellent.
29:06Steam engines rely on precision engineering, so I need to start measuring up,
29:10identifying the potential pitfalls in our plans,
29:13and working out where we're going to put that flamethrowing burner.
29:17There's only one way to find out.
29:18Yeah.
29:19And that's clambering.
29:20Better luck.
29:21Yeah.
29:22I might not be as clean when I come out.
29:24That's why I used to work on this engine as an apprentice,
29:26because I'm quite small.
29:28I used to get shoved into places that not everyone could fit.
29:32So I thought I'd just get in here, actually,
29:35and take the camera in with me, because it's pretty tight in here.
29:39I've just got to work out when I get the burner through,
29:41where the pipe goes.
29:43I'm going to have to cut a great big hole in it.
29:44Well, not that big, but a hole in it to get the burner through,
29:47and I'm going to have to relocate all of this pipe work here.
29:50And it's not the easiest place to try and work in, if I'm honest.
29:53It's a bit restricted.
29:54But being a small chap, that's why I always seem to get these jobs.
29:58Once I've drilled that hole for the burner pipe underneath the engine,
30:02I then need to feed it up into the firebox.
30:04So my next job is to climb inside, check that it's in good condition,
30:09and work out the best place to feed the pipe through.
30:12Good job I didn't have a full English this morning.
30:18Yeah, if you could rock the left-hand side.
30:21I will.
30:22Yeah, give it a full rock, and I'll work out which is the best way to go.
30:27Right, so go forwards.
30:30That's the best position there.
30:33That's lovely.
30:34So leave it like that.
30:35So I'm going to take some pictures of that.
30:38The firebox looks all right.
30:41Good.
30:42There's no leaks.
30:43There's a moth in here, living in here.
30:58That's my kind of day in the office.
31:00So yeah, I think I've got everything we need.
31:05I've had a good look round.
31:06Good.
31:07Good.
31:08Wearing most of it light.
31:09Brilliant.
31:10Well, thanks very much indeed for coming down.
31:12So next time I see this engine, it'll be up in Yorkshire,
31:15and hopefully it makes it in one piece.
31:19Fingers crossed.
31:26Back in Gromont, it's the year since I went down to see Peter.
31:29And we've steamed through plenty since.
31:32Omaha arrived in one piece,
31:34and I've even operated an oil conversion engine in Florida
31:37to help us better understand what we've embarked on.
31:42In the shed, we're over halfway through Omaha's conversion,
31:45from coal to being able to run on biofuel.
31:49Lots done, but still a long line ahead to the finish.
31:52Manifold then.
31:54Yeah, giving it a go.
31:55Just looking at all the bits and building it up
31:57and just working out where it all goes.
31:58I started in the tea room at 11,
31:59so I've got a long history with this railway.
32:01I did my apprenticeship here,
32:02and I've worked up through the ranks.
32:05That goes there.
32:07Just like Vakana when you were a kid.
32:09I got my 30-year badge last weekend.
32:12Omaha's really important to convert to oil.
32:14It's part of our future.
32:16I'm sure it is.
32:17And other engines as well.
32:18The burning of oil is zero spark emission, just about.
32:23It means that our engines can run through our 18 miles
32:27of stunning moorland without setting on fire,
32:29which is a huge bonus.
32:31Because this is the first time a heritage steam engine of this size has been converted from coal to oil in the UK,
32:38the engineering is completely new to us, which presents massive challenges.
32:44Don't drop it now.
32:46Richard and Nick are attempting to fit a really important piece of kit called a manifold.
32:50It will be used to operate all the controls for the new burner.
32:55So this is the one thing that when you're climbing the cab of this engine,
32:57will distinguish it from a coal burner.
32:59The fact that there isn't any coal as well.
33:01But you'll climb in and a steam engine doesn't have this.
33:03This is the oil burner control that controls the burner inside the firebox.
33:07But I think that should do it.
33:08OK.
33:09So I'm currently perched on the edge of the fireman's seat,
33:11and I think if I shuffle back into a better seated position,
33:14I'm still going to be easily able to reach all of these valves.
33:17Well, I suppose the seat's quite critical now because when it was a coal burner,
33:21the fireman would be stood there shoveling.
33:22Yeah.
33:23It kind of, almost looks professional.
33:28With the placement of the manifold agreed,
33:30Richard is going to cut a hole for another new part, the oil valve.
33:34Where he puts it will determine where the fireman can sit.
33:38It would be a very good day if we can get this to fit.
33:40So it's rather important.
33:47It looks good, but my only concern now is the distance between there and the fireman's seat.
33:59It's a bit of a geometry nightmare, really,
34:01because we're trying to build around an engine that already exists.
34:03I'm now sitting in the fireman's seat, and you're going to have this right between your legs.
34:08Perfect time for another meddler to come and stick their oar in.
34:12You don't want to risk catching your bits in that, do you?
34:15No, that'll be a bad afternoon.
34:17That's not actually the hormone they see.
34:20We can raise that up, that.
34:22I'm going to jam that in there, and you just sit that on there.
34:24So you'll have, we'll have valve handles here, then.
34:27So that's probably a bit high.
34:29So you only want a two and a half litre safety painting,
34:31not a five litre painting.
34:32I'm sorry.
34:33Go by, wouldn't you?
34:34How high do you want that? Where do you want it?
34:37If I'm sat there, because I'm leaning out, right, I can do that.
34:40I can do a bit of that.
34:41I can adjust the oil.
34:42I can adjust the steam.
34:43The steam mix.
34:44Can it go there?
34:45That'll be all right, that.
34:46Right.
34:47I like that.
34:48That's all right.
34:49It's happy days.
34:50One problem down, but this groundbreaking conversion could take us a year to complete.
34:56But it's projects like this which are vital to keeping the future of steam and our line alive.
35:04I'm on the footplate of Eric Tracy, steaming across the North York moors.
35:18Continuing our journey through the pretty area of Darnoam, we head beyond the picturesque Ellerbeck.
35:24The hillside above here is a favourite location for people who like to look down on the trains, battling up what is one of the steepest railway gradients in the country.
35:36It's gorgeous. It's like home from home really, because we live just on the edge of Dartmoor.
35:41The scenery is absolutely beautiful, actually.
35:44And I just think that it's perfect setting for a heritage railway.
35:50Once we reach this point, we're almost at the end of the incline.
35:53So my hard work is done, and now I'm preparing for the station.
35:57And this steam engine only performs as well as I do.
36:01So it's very critical that the fireman gets it right, focuses on the job.
36:06And that really makes a difference in how the engine performs.
36:10Absolutely crucial.
36:11You're very much at one with the machine.
36:14Really, really enjoyable and rewarding.
36:16And warmer, the rail lights are there.
36:25With Goatland Station approaching, some of our passengers recognise it and the nearby Village High Street as the setting for the long-running TV series Heartbeat.
36:35But a new generation of railway fans come here because Goatland Platform featured in the first Harry Potter film as Hogsmeade Station.
36:46It's green.
36:47The signal is green.
36:48The signal is green.
36:49And we've got an M on the indicator for the base platform.
36:52So all this is good.
36:59And as I come into the station, I've got a crossing here.
37:02So I just need to make sure that that's clear.
37:11That's it, we're pulling into Goatland.
37:13Good climb up the hill, that.
37:14Everything went to plan, which is good.
37:17You're sweating a bit now, like it's splatter warm day.
37:19My last job is one of my favourite things about Heritage Railways.
37:24I have the token, handing it to the signaler.
37:31Handing that token over might seem a simple process, but it's one of the most important things we do to keep the railway safe.
37:37Making sure the handover goes successfully, along with many other things, are the railway's hidden heroes, the signalers.
37:49It's going to be a bit different today.
37:54We're putting the second locomotive onto the Whitby Pickering train at Gromont.
37:58I think it's the first time I've done that.
38:00So that'd be quite nice.
38:01Yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing it coming through.
38:03Yes, a good sight coming up the bank there, up into the station in Co-Class 37.
38:08Oh, absolutely.
38:10Richard and David are two of the four signalers we have working on the route today.
38:15On a busy shift, locomotives can pass by their boxes around 80 to 90 times a day.
38:21Anything different to report about the signal box from last time you were there, or is everything as normal?
38:26Nothing that I can think of, no. It's as it normally is here.
38:32They need to be ready and in position before any of our locomotives can begin working the line.
38:38Well, I hope you have a good day here and everything goes well, according to plan.
38:43And I will contact you from Gromont as normal shortly.
38:46OK, bye. See you later.
38:49While David is based in the signal box here at Goatland, Richard is based on the platform at Gromont,
38:55back where we started our steam train journey.
38:58I've always had an interest in signalling.
39:01When I was a child, on the days you could do that sort of thing,
39:04I was allowed to go into the local signal box at my local station.
39:08I trained for signalling role as part of my time with British Rail.
39:12My railway career went quite a different way.
39:15I got involved in performance management on the railways.
39:18So I didn't do the sort of basic operating jobs that I'm now doing here.
39:21It's the first time I've actually been in charge of a signal box on my own.
39:26And we're pretty proud of our signal boxes.
39:28We've saved and restored many original levers, cables, wheels, dials and bells in all our four signal boxes.
39:35And they work pretty much as they would have done decades ago.
39:52Good morning, Gromont Sigelman.
39:54Goatland Sigelman speaking.
39:56I make it 09.24.
39:58I make it 09.24.
40:00We're an exchanged opening and also it's still 09.24 now.
40:03That's perfect. I'll see you soon.
40:05No news yet. I'll speak to you later in the day. Thanks, David.
40:08All right. Cheers. Bye.
40:09Up on the railway, we often call ourselves one big family.
40:13But for some of us, that statement is quite literal.
40:18David, who is currently at Goatland Sigelman Box today, is my son.
40:23He's been involved in the railway as a volunteer slightly longer than I have.
40:28It's nice because he's inherited my interest in railways.
40:31It's something we both understand and enjoy together.
40:34And it doesn't stop there.
40:36So all of the family are involved in the railway.
40:39My mum is training as a foreman here at Goatland
40:41and my sister is a booking clerk here at Goatland.
40:43It's a really nice family thing for us to do together.
40:47Once father and son have made their opening exchanges...
40:50And something else I've got to write down.
40:52..they have to record everything with a good old-fashioned pen and paper.
40:56It's a legal document of their day.
40:59It's one thing to read about it in a book.
41:01It's another thing to be able to come and see and smell and experience
41:05what the past on the railway was like.
41:08Another traditional part of their job is to use the signalling block system.
41:13It's a 175-year-old method of communication using bells.
41:18It's quite fun speaking to my dad on the bell system.
41:21It's almost a bit like Morse code.
41:23So each train has its different bell signal,
41:25kind of a secret language that only people on the railway know.
41:28It's all about one thing.
41:31While Goatland has plenty of challenges of its own,
41:34at Grosmont, Richard is managing what is thought to be
41:37one of the busiest traditional manned-level crossings on a heritage line,
41:41with the gates having to be opened and closed dozens of times every single day.
41:46The wheel here turns round to do the gates.
41:52And they then lock into position outside,
41:55and then I put the lock in so they can't then move.
41:58And now I'm doing another set of gates,
42:01which are the pedestrian gates, as it were,
42:03from the platforms across the crossing.
42:07There's 52 levers in the signal box at Grosmont,
42:10so knowing which one to pull or push at any time is pretty crucial.
42:16Once you get into it, it becomes a very logical set of rules you're following.
42:23It actually makes it straightforward if you've got that sort of mind.
42:26Another traditional process, which is key to how trains safely run in both directions of a single-track railway like this,
42:36can be seen on the platforms themselves.
42:38Morning. Thank you.
42:42It's known as the token system.
42:45So what's happened there is the train's just arrived,
42:50so I'm now putting the tablet back into the machine,
42:55and now I will let Gowthlin know that the train has arrived complete.
43:00One, two, one. Keep it pressed in.
43:03Richard and David are using a system invented in 1878 by Edward Tyre
43:08after a deadly accident four years earlier.
43:11To keep single-line tracks safe,
43:13drivers exchange a token at each station
43:16so only one train can ever be on the line at a time.
43:20I'll offer him the other train.
43:24So now they're offering me another train.
43:29Holding the plunger in to allow them to get the token out at the other end.
43:33He's now allowed me to withdraw the token, which I've done.
43:36I make sure that the release has gone onto the signal.
43:39Gromont, Gowthlin, token.
43:42I'll now go and give that to the driver of the train
43:44so he's got authority to proceed.
43:49One Gowthlin token for you.
43:50Thank you. Thank you much.
43:52It's a bit like a relay, really,
43:54with the driver in possession of the token, hands it over to me.
43:58I'm then responsible for putting it into the machine,
44:00and before another driver can take over the next part of the relay,
44:03it has to come back out of the machine and I have to hand it over to him.
44:09This well-kept secret has been a fail-safe operation here at the NYMR since its inception.
44:14So this has to be lined up perfectly to make sure that the token doesn't get dropped.
44:18It's always a bit nerve-wracking, especially when you're first training.
44:27Yeah, you don't want to drop it.
44:28You don't want to have people make fun of you about it.
44:31Cheers!
44:41All successfully done?
44:45I think that this kind of technology is quite frankly amazing,
44:48given the age of it,
44:49which kind of is a testament to the engineering and the design behind it.
44:52And it's just wonderful to be able to come in and work with it
44:55whenever I'm here to volunteer.
44:57It's a real privilege.
44:58But it's especially fun when you can go home with your dad and say,
45:01oh, well, we had a good shift together and, you know, you share that passion.
45:15And that's one of the things that I'm most proud of here.
45:18It just seems to be a magnet for brilliant people
45:21who all come together with the same aim,
45:23keeping the traditions of steam alive.
45:25And, of course, that's true for me, too.
45:30So as I end my journey today at the beautiful Gotham Station...
45:34Famed for its Harry Potter and Heartbeat,
45:38it's really important that I remain focused on ensuring that the railway keeps running.
45:42And there's lots of challenges that I've got to think about,
45:44from the price of coal and the fuel to making it a really valuable business.
45:48And we need to make sure we run it effectively, cost effectively,
45:53to ensure the engines keep running into the future.
46:00Next time, I take a big risk with a celebrity engine
46:03in the hope that it will bring in the crowds.
46:06I've got to do a selfie with it, haven't I?
46:09Our Lineside team gets a sneak peek at some of Britain's protected wildlife.
46:16And the Yorkshire countryside works its magic once again.
46:19So this really is one of my favourite views.
46:22Just kind of liquid healing.
46:49Two times that we are a pipe.
46:50I'll do something for you, but not to be sure.
46:51Just a bit of a image.
46:53I'll be sure there are ones here.
46:54I will definitely have to do a quality schedule
46:56for you for the first time.
46:57We've got to do something for you, too.
46:58But I'm going to change that way.
46:59And I've got to do something for you, too.
47:00Okay, please.
47:01Let me change your time, push my channel.
47:04Let me change your time.
47:05I'm going to change your time.
47:07I say that I'm going to change your time.
47:09And I'm going to change your time.
47:11To be here.
47:15I'm going to change your time.
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