80 MINUTES FROM PATELEY BRIDGE
North Yorkshire Moors Railway
A heritage steam railway running from Pickering through the North York Moors to the coast at Whitby, stopping at Goathland, the village station that became Hogsmeade in the first Harry Potter film. A genuinely different heritage railway to Wensleydale's, set among heather moorland rather than a dale, and a full day out further afield at around 80 minutes from Pateley Bridge.
Visit information
- Location
- 12 Park Street, Pickering YO18 7AJ
- From Pateley Bridge
- 80 minutes via Helmsley
- Open
- Seasonal, late March to early November - check nymr.co.uk for the current timetable
- Entry
- Paid, All Line Rover tickets include a full day of unlimited travel
- Dogs
- Welcome on board and at stations
- Facilities
- Cafes and shops at Pickering, Grosmont and Whitby stations
Saved by volunteers
The original line opened in 1836, engineered in part by George Stephenson, and connected Pickering to Whitby long before the rest of the national network reached this corner of Yorkshire.
Like many rural branch lines, it closed to passengers in the 1965 Beeching cuts, only to be reopened in 1973 by a determined group of volunteers who restored the track and stations and have run it as a heritage railway ever since.
Today it is one of the most popular heritage railways in the world, helped enormously by Goathland's turn as Hogsmeade station in the Harry Potter films, which introduced the line to a whole new generation of visitors.
Making the most of your visit
Allow a full day if you plan to ride through to Whitby and explore the coast, or half a day for a shorter return trip to Goathland or Grosmont. Book ahead in summer, services can sell out on popular dates.
An All Line Rover ticket lets you hop on and off at any station along the route, so you can break your journey at Goathland for a walk before continuing on to Whitby.
Given the distance from Pateley Bridge, this makes most sense as a dedicated day trip, ideally combined with Rievaulx Abbey or Helmsley if you are passing that way en route.
What to see
Pickering to Whitby via Steam
Twenty-four miles of heritage railway through the heart of the North York Moors National Park, much of it hauled by genuine steam locomotives.
Goathland - "Hogsmeade Station"
The postcard village station that became Hogsmeade in the first Harry Potter film, still instantly recognisable to fans today.
Levisham and Grosmont
Quiet request stops along the line, plus Grosmont's historic engine sheds, where much of the railway's rolling stock is restored and maintained.
Through Tickets to Whitby
Many services run through to Whitby on the coast, making it easy to combine a steam journey with a day at the seaside.
GUIDED DAY TRIP OPTION
North York Moors and Whitby Day Trip from York
Prefer a guided day trip with pickup rather than riding the railway yourself? This small-group tour from York covers the Moors, Goathland and free time in Whitby.
Further afield, 80 minutes away
The railway runs a seasonal timetable, so check current dates and book tickets ahead before you travel.
