Railway heritage enthusiasts are marking their calendars as the legendary steam locomotive No. 45596 Bahamas prepares for its inaugural visit to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway this April.

The historic engine, built in 1934 and named after the Caribbean islands, will operate passenger services along the railway’s picturesque 24-mile route between Pickering and Grosmont on selected dates throughout April (5-8 and 10-13).

This special event marks the first time the Jubilee Class locomotive will operate on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, offering visitors a rare opportunity to experience travel behind this icon of British engineering.

Paul Middleton, Director of Mechanical Engineering at NYMR, expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming visit: “We’re thrilled to welcome No. 45596 Bahamas to the NYMR for the first time. This locomotive represents an important chapter in railway history, and its presence on our line will be a truly special experience for our visitors.”

Bahamas was designed by Sir William Stanier for the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and became a workhorse of Britain’s railway network before being preserved in the late 1960s. Following extensive restoration work by the Bahamas Locomotive Society, the engine now operates as a living museum piece on heritage railways across the country.

The locomotive will haul standard services according to the railway’s Red and Blue timetables, with tickets starting from £49.50 for adults and £99 for families. Discounts are available for advance bookings and groups.

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Britain’s most popular heritage railway, carries 300,000 passengers annually and operates as an educational charitable trust. The railway will also participate in the nationwide Railway 200 celebrations planned for 2025, marking two centuries of passenger railways in Britain.

Tickets for the Bahamas services can be booked through the NYMR website.