The whistle of an iconic steam locomotive could soon be heard again across the North York Moors as a major fundraising campaign gets underway to restore a beloved engine to working order.
The North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) has launched an appeal to raise £200,000 toward the restoration of locomotive No. 75029, affectionately known as “The Green Knight,” which has been silent since developing a serious crack in its firebox in 2015.
The fundraising drive comes as part of the national Railway 200 celebrations marking two centuries since the birth of passenger railways in Britain.
£400,000 Needed for Complete Restoration
According to NYMR officials, the full restoration will cost approximately £400,000, with the centerpiece being a brand-new copper firebox that engineers expect could last up to 60 years. The initial £200,000 would enable the critical first phase of work to begin.
“Getting The Green Knight back on the rails isn’t just about nostalgia—it’s a practical necessity for our operations,” said Paul Middleton, known to colleagues as ‘Piglet,’ who serves as Director of Mechanical Engineering at the heritage railway.
“This locomotive is incredibly versatile and one of the few in our collection capable of running mainline services to Whitby. With several other engines in our fleet requiring overhauls in the coming years, The Green Knight’s return to service has become increasingly urgent,” Middleton explained.
The Round Table Club Offers Exclusive Benefits
To incentivize donations, the railway has established “The Round Table Club,” offering special benefits to supporters at various contribution levels:
- For £30, donors receive Round Table Club membership with four exclusive updates throughout the year
- A £100 contribution sponsors one of the 1,600 boiler stays needed for the restoration
- The most dedicated supporters can donate £2,000 for the rare privilege of hand-writing their name under the locomotive’s running boards—limited to just ten people
Railway preservation expert and author Martin Clarke told this website: “The Green Knight represents a critical class of locomotive that kept Britain’s railways running in the post-war era. These Standard Class 4 engines were the reliable workhorses that formed the backbone of British Railways’ operations in the 1950s and early 60s.”
Preserving Skills for Future Generations
Beyond simply restoring a historic artifact, the project will provide valuable training opportunities for the next generation of heritage railway engineers. The NYMR maintains a dedicated apprenticeship program to ensure traditional steam engineering skills aren’t lost to time.
Lisa Jenkins, who joined the railway as an apprentice in 2022, said: “Working on these magnificent machines is an incredible privilege. Each restoration project teaches us something new about engineering principles that have stood the test of time.”
Call for Public Memories
The railway is also encouraging people with personal connections to The Green Knight to share their stories. Whether they’re former railway workers who operated the locomotive, photographers who captured it in action, or members of the public who remember seeing it carry the Olympic Torch, the NYMR wants to collect these memories.
Contributions can be emailed to fundraising@nymr.co.uk or shared on social media with the hashtag #RestoreTheGreenKnight.
The North Yorkshire Moors Railway operates 18 miles of track through the stunning landscapes of the North York Moors National Park, carrying over 300,000 passengers annually between Pickering and Whitby on one of Britain’s most scenic railway journeys.
Those wishing to support the restoration can make donations through the railway’s website at www.nymr.co.uk/thegreenknight.
