Heritage railway takes detour to the Emerald City!

Wizard of Oz story train, Friday 29 May 2015

Normally travelling along the line from Pickering to Whitby, on Friday 29 May visitors to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway may well find the service diverted to locations including Munchkin Land, the Haunted Forest and the Emerald City, as Dorothy, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion and the Scarecrow hop aboard for the half term Story Train!

“It may be over 75 years since Judy Garland first put on her gingham dress and tied her pigtails, but stories of the land of Oz continue to be hugely popular today, with cartoons and live action movies – and even smash hit musicals – bringing the magical land to life,” comments marketing manager, Danielle Ramsey.  “However ‘no place like home’ will be the last venue on our Story Train participants’ minds during half term, as Dorothy and her friends recreate some of the wonder of their journey along the yellow brick road with our passengers.”

The Wizard of Oz Story Train departs from Pickering Station at 10.00am for a return trip up to Goathland, with stops along the way for storytelling and games.  Although the North Yorkshire Moors Railway team will ensure that their journey is rather less stressful that Dorothy’s original trip to the Emerald City, her accident-prone friends will ensure that mayhem will most likely prevail!

Passengers will leave the train at Goathland, where they can enjoy a picnic lunch or enjoy the fare at the local pub, before returning on the 12.50pm service back to Levisham for a final session of fun, hopping back on the train to return to Pickering for 2.40pm.

For those visiting throughout the rest of the half term holiday (23 to 31 May), the heritage railway’s very own train driver, Tracker Jack, will leave a trail that spreads across the stations from Pickering to Goathland, with a chance to win a free family ticket for a return trip along the line.

With only a few places remaining, anyone wishing to join the story train is encouraged to pre-book online at www.nymr.co.uk/storytrains  or call 01751 472508.  Normal services are also running daily between Pickering and Whitby, making the railway a stress-free way of enjoying a day trip to the beautiful North Yorkshire coast.  For more details, please visit www.nymr.co.uk

ENDS

For further media information or photographs, please contact:

Jay Commins

Pyper York Limited

Tel:         01904 500698

Email:    jay@pyperyork.co.uk