Ukraine war prompts North Yorkshire Moors Railway 1940s event cancellation

A heritage railway's annual wartime railway weekend has been cancelled in light of the conflict in Ukraine.

Staff at North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) said it did not feel right to go ahead with the event on 14-16 October.

Chris Price, NYMR chief executive, said it would be wrong to hold the event when people in Ukraine faced a "tense, dangerous and distressing" time.

Revenue generated that weekend would be donated to the British Red Cross's Ukraine Crisis Appeal, Mr Price said.

The event would have seen 1940s-themed decorations, re-enactors in period dress and military parades along the NYMR route, which runs from Pickering to Whitby.

Mr Price said he realised people would be disappointed and hoped they would understand the decision.

"Ongoing violence is causing people to flee their homes and become separated from their families.

"We did not think it was right to have a wartime-themed event in the calendar," he said.

The event had already been postponed in 2020 and 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement, NYMR said the Wartime Weekend had been in the planning stages and discussions had been held over how to deliver it with a reduced number of volunteers and fewer resources post-pandemic.

Laura Strangeway, NYMR deputy chief executive, said they were aware of the impact on businesses in the area that the cancellation would have, but other events were still planned through the year.

"We have taken guidance from the Heritage Railway Association which has recommended to its membership not to schedule wartime re-enactment events for the foreseeable future.

"It is with regret we will not be hosting the annual event," she said.

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