Steam Train Diaries and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway

If you have recently been watching Steam Train Diaries on Channel 4 and wondering where the railway is located, much of the series centres around the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, one of Britain’s best known heritage railways.

Running through the heart of the North York Moors National Park, the railway links market towns, remote moorland stations and historic villages, offering visitors the chance to experience a slower pace of travel through some of Yorkshire’s best scenery.

For guests staying at Cliff House Holiday Cottages, the railway makes an easy and memorable day out, whether you are interested in steam locomotives, Yorkshire history, photography or simply exploring somewhere different.

 

 

What is Steam Train Diaries?

Steam Train Diaries follows the people behind Britain’s heritage railways, with a strong focus on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

Rather than simply showing trains travelling through the countryside, the programme looks behind the scenes at:

• locomotive restoration
• engineering workshops
• volunteer teams
• drivers and signal operators
• station life
• heritage skills

The series gives a good sense of how much work goes into preserving Britain’s railway heritage and why places like the North Yorkshire Moors Railway continue to attract visitors from across the country.

Where is the North Yorkshire Moors Railway?

The railway runs between Pickering and Whitby, passing through:

• Levisham
• Newtondale Halt
• Goathland
• Grosmont

The route crosses the North York Moors National Park and passes through valleys, woodland and open moorland landscapes that change dramatically with the seasons.

From Cliff House Holiday Cottages, Pickering and the railway are within easy reach, making it possible to combine a steam railway trip with walks, village pubs or time on the Yorkshire coast.

Famous filming locations along the railway

Many visitors recognise the railway from television and film long before they visit.

Goathland Station is perhaps the best known, having appeared as Hogsmeade Station in the Harry Potter films, as well as featuring heavily in Heartbeat.

The railway has also appeared in productions including:

• Downton Abbey
• Mission Impossible
• Indiana Jones
• All Creatures Great and Small

Part of the appeal is that many of the stations and buildings still feel authentic and relatively unchanged.

Best places to stop along the route

Pickering

Often the starting point for journeys on the railway, Pickering combines the heritage station with independent shops, cafés and access to the wider North York Moors.

Levisham

A favourite with walkers and photographers, Levisham sits amongst some of the most dramatic scenery on the line, especially during autumn.

Goathland

One of the most photographed stations in Yorkshire, with village cafés, moorland walks and strong television connections.

Grosmont

The engineering heart of the railway, where visitors can often see restoration work and locomotives being prepared.

Whitby

For many visitors, finishing a steam journey at the coast remains one of the highlights of the experience.

Why the railway works so well for families

One of the strengths of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway is that it appeals across generations.

Children enjoy the steam locomotives and stations, while older visitors often appreciate the history and nostalgia attached to rail travel.

It also works well as part of a wider North Yorkshire holiday, combining:

• coast and countryside
• villages and market towns
• heritage and outdoor activities
• photography and walking

Steam Train Diaries and the Yorkshire landscape

One thing the programme captures particularly well is the landscape itself.

The railway is not isolated from the scenery around it. Instead, it feels part of the wider North York Moors, connecting villages, valleys and communities in a way modern transport often does not.

That combination of heritage, engineering and landscape is part of what makes the railway feel distinctly Yorkshire.

Staying near the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and the home of the Steam Train Diaries

At Cliff House Holiday Cottages, we are well placed for exploring both the North York Moors Railway and the Yorkshire coast.

Many guests combine:

• a railway trip
• walks on the moors
• visits to Whitby or Scarborough
• photography outings
• local pubs and cafés

After a day exploring, guests can return to the cottages, gardens and swimming pool before planning the next day’s adventure.

Whether you are visiting after watching Steam Train Diaries or discovering the railway for the first time, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway remains one of the most memorable ways to experience North Yorkshire.