Visitors transported back in time at North Yorkshire Moors Railway 2024 Diesel Gala

Along with the North Yorkshire Moors Railway home fleet of diesel workhorses on the timetable of services, including No. 37264, D7628 ‘Sybilla’, No. 31128, No. 47077, and No. 31466, there are diesel locomotive guests: No. 37418 ‘An Comunn Gaidhealach’ a distinctive member of the British Rail Class 37 fleet, No. 45108, D9537, and British Rail Class 20s, No. 20189 and No. 20142.

Diesel engines fully replaced steam traction on UK railways in the 1960s and these heritage engines were the backbone of Britain's rail network.

Paul 'Piglet' Middleton is the Director of Mechanical Engineering at North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

He told GB News: "They [heritage diesel locomotives] are kind of different from modern diesels that you see still running on the network. They're individual locos and they make a good noise and they look great in the heritage liveries.

"So even though they are diesels, we still can recreate history, you know, and it's an opportunity for people to come and ride behind engines that ran in the late 60s, 70s and 80s.

"You know, it's like time travel isn't it, it almost."

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway Trust officially opened in May 1973.

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The charity operates one of the earliest and most historic lines in the North of England that takes visitors on picturesque journeys along an 18-mile railway line aboard steam and heritage diesel trains.

Day-to-day operations are carried out by volunteers along with a core team of paid staff to preserve the past and protect the legacy of heritage diesel and steam travel for future generations.

Nick Simpson, Head of Mechanical Engineering at North Yorkshire Moors Railway, said: "Britain made the railway, so it developed worldwide from there.

"Steam is a lot more known, but the heritage diesel movement is growing because the old generation that saved steam and my generation coming through now, we remember them running. So that is building."

Apprentices are the heritage workforce of the future at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and work alongside staff members like Nick in engineering and lineside conservation.

He believes that training the next generation is crucial to maintaining the heritage railway and added: "We've got to train and pass on the skills that our forebears passed on to us."

Visitors to the Diesel Gala have travelled from far and wide to attend the event and ride behind historic locomotives.

GB News spoke to train enthusiasts at Grosmont Station, including Michael Manning who was visiting from Leeds.

He said: "I feel like a kid again. It's the excitement of the railways and that always gets me excited when I see a railway station. It's just fun."

Veronica James was also at the event and said: "We've come for the diesel because my husband grew up in the time of the diesels, and he wanted to enjoy this experience."

Daniel Hamilton travelled from Northern Ireland with his father and said: "It's just like the trains and it's just and enjoyable to be on them, and it's nice to see them, you know."

Pensioner John Clements from Nottingham remembers both the steam and heritage diesel trains and was recording the trains at the station on his camcorder.

He said: "I grew up with them. You know, they were around, you know, in my early trainspotting days."

James Hardy was pleased about the attention the event was giving to diesel trains and said: "Diesels don't get really celebrated that much because everyone's more interested in the steam engines.

"But it's good that we've got the Diesel Gala and that the gala is back up and running again."

The Diesel Gala runs from Friday June 14 to Sunday June 16 and more information can be found HERE