Guard Marjorie Hamilton waves off the first run of the Pickering to Whitby service on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway

A HISTORIC rail link between the East Coast and a Ryedale town will be up-and-running once again this week.

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) will start running regular steam services open to the public on Friday.

The services connecting Whitby with the North York Moors and Pickering will operate for the first time in 40 years.

It will restore a link first created in 1836.

A test-drive of the Whitby Endeavour Steam service was run yesterday, and the service will be open throughout the year.

Philip Benham, general manager, said: "We believe that the new service will not only be an important attraction in its own right, but will help the expansion of tourism in both Whitby and the North York Moors National Park.

"By using the new trains, visitors will also avoid adding to the region's road congestion, while helping to support the Esk Valley Railway - one of the Government's designated Community Rail Partnership lines."

The NYMR was awarded a formal Passenger Licence in January by the Office For Rail Regulation allowing the heritage railway to operate on more than 100 days in 2007.

Steam trains operated to and from Whitby on a limited number of days in 2005 and 2006 by West Coast Railway Company on behalf of NYMR.

2:34pm Wednesday 4th April 2007

Engine driver Dave Gatland, right, and fireman Mick MacPeake, left, are pictured in the cab of the engine

From the left, engine driver Dave Gatland, fireman Mick MacPeake and guard Marjorie Hamilton

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