Registered Charity No. 1073653
York Area Group mainly comprises NYMR members who live in the York area but not exclusively. It is run by its trustees who are unpaid volunteers and it has no employees.
For more information about the NYMR, including Tickets & Timetable, Pullman Dining, Events, Locomotives, Webcam and Jobs, see the
We have financed the purchase of various vehicles for the NYMR - details on our
We also have links with other associated York area Heritage Organisations: -
MEETINGS, EVENTS & NEWS
Meetings are open to the general public.You can become a Group Member for the very reasonable cost of only £3.00 per annum, although an additional donation will always be most welcome:
York Area Group Meetings are held at St. Lawrence's Church Hall, Lawrence Street, York, YO10 3WP, in Autumn/Winter/Spring. Car parking is available to the rear, accessed via the driveway on the left hand side.
A buffet lunch is kindly provided by the Church, for which a voluntary donation is suggested. Also, there is a raffle, drawn in the interval, for books generally on a railway or related subject, the cost being £1 for 5 tickets.
Yorkshire Archaeological & Historical Society - Industrial History Section holds meetings at 11:00am on Saturday mornings, normally at St George’s Centre, 60 Great George Street, Leeds LS1 3DL. For full details of their programme
To raise funds for our activities and projects, we sell back-issues of railway related magazines on
We would welcome any donation of unwanted copies of such magazines - please get in touch using our
On Saturday 7th March 2026, YAG held its 2026 model railway show in St Lawrence’s Church Hall. The day was a great success, the show organised by YAG member Stephen Dew. We were delighted to welcome the City of York Civic Party and the last member of York Normandy Veterans, Ken Cooke aged 100. Refreshments were provided by the ladies of St Lawrence who we thank for providing this service.
Photos: David Rice
August 2025 - Hibberd No.3270/1948; ‘Carpenter’.
This small 24ton 0-4-0 diesel mechanical shunter was built by F.C. Hibberd & Co Ltd at their Park Royal Works, West London in 1948 with works number 3270. It bears a strong resemblance to a Hudswell Clarke design, even including the familiar steam engine style chimney.
‘Carpenter’ is powered by a Paxman Ricardo 6-cylinder RWT engine, developing 144bhp. This drives through a fluid flywheel and a four speed semi-automatic gearbox to give a top speed of 11mph.
‘Carpenter’ was supplied (along with sister locomotive ‘Walrus’, works No.3271/1949) to shunt week on, week off at the Guiness Brewery at Park Royal and was the first locomotive owned by Guiness on this site. The pair were employed shunting malt trains, until the increase in the brewery’s rail traffic, their small size and lack of sufficient features to work on the main line (including poor tyres for the BR branch) made them redundant in 1986. The pair were named after the Jabberwocky characters ‘Walrus and the Carpenter’, who were featured in the 1930’s Guiness cartoon advertisements.
In 1986 Guiness decided to purchase a pair of surplus class 08 shunters from British Rail, D3030, 08022 and D3074, 08060. Guiness kindly donated both Hibberd locomotives to railway preservation societies.
‘Walrus’ went to the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre at Quainton Road near Aylesbury, and ‘Carpenter’ went to the Cholsey Wallingford Railway in October 1986. From here she was purchased by Derwent Valley Light Railway volunteer Edward Fisk in August 2025 who has made a start in restoration to bring her back into service which will provide another valuable locomotive addition to the Roster to be seen running at Murton on the DVLR. – David Rice.
Friday 23 July 2025 – The 23rd Annual Running evening on the DVLR
The running evening rose to new heights with multiple dimensions which saw over 160 attendees and volunteers enjoy a very special evening. Commencing with a short act of commemoration and remembrance to those who served in the Middle East after WW2, then the launch into passenger service of the York Area Group’s Drewry shunter No.37 and an unveiling of a plaque to Jonathan Stockwell the DVLR archivist who sadly died on 26th June 2025.
The YAG’s Drewry shunter is named after the late York Normandy Veteran ‘Ken Smith’ who along with No.37 served in Egypt and Palestine in 1947. Normandy Veteran Ken Cooke with Gloria Smith placed a wreath on No.27. Also, in attendance was ‘Reggie Perrin’ from York Garrison and Officers, NCO’s and Cadets from B Company Yorkshire Cadet Force who presented Ken with a slate plaque in advance of his 100th birthday.
Using B951144 BR 20 Ton Brake Van & the Observation Coach the first service was hauled by No.37 top & tailed with Rowntrees No.3 after which an intensive timetable swung into action with all services packed. The DVLR provided welcoming refreshments with their volunteers manning the barbeque and the evening was a successful joint DVLR & YAG event.
Report & Photos - David Rice
At the Derwent Valley Light Railway, an extensive restoration and overhaul of our former War Department Drewry diesel shunter was carried out.
The old badly corroded cab was transported away to DG Sheet Metal Services at Leeds, as a template for a new one to be fabricated.The shunter is on long term loan at the DVLR at Murton, where further work has included overhauling its Gardner engine, replacing its radiators and de-rusting/repainting. Later photos show the newly fabricated cab before its transport to Murton, followed by application of primer and reinstallation of fittings after fixing onto the loco. Since that, there was lots of work on bonnet, gearbox, air system, etc. up to its first run in 23 years, followed by final coats of gloss paint and numbering being applied. Vacuum brake equipment was sourced for fitting to the loco to enable passenger train operation. Photos: Tony Simons and David Rice.
The long awaited return to working order, dedication and naming of the Group’s Drewry diesel mechanical shunter took place at Murton Park on July 24th 2024,.
DC 2164 was built in 1941 as War Department no. 37 and served in Egypt and Palestine until 1947. Some of its sisters came ashore in Normandy following D Day on June 6, 1944. Following its return to the UK it worked at various industrial sites ending up at BP Saltend. In 1984 the locomotive was donated to the York Area Group and worked on Permanent Way duties on the NYMR.
Following mechanical failure in around 1995, the locomotive was laid aside and allowed to deteriorate, including water ingress in to one of the cylinders. The YAG took the decision to repatriate DC 2164 and find a home where she could be cared for, restored to working order and her historical significance recognised. This was accomplished in July 2021 when the locomotive was transported to Murton.
Following three years work including returning the Gardner engine to working order and solving many other complex problems, the DVLR have completed a superb restoration.
The event on July 24 was attended by over 100 invited guests including the Lord Mayor of York and Civic Party, members of the Armed Services and the remaining member of York Normandy Veteran Ken Cooke aged 98.
Father Adam Romanis of the Parish Church of St Lawrence Dedicated and blessed the locomotive and then invited Ken Cooke and Gloria Smith the Widow of York Normandy Veteran Ken Smith to unveil the nameplate.
Gloria had no inkling whatsoever as to the name and when she saw her husband’s name, she was understandably overwhelmed. The Last Post and Reveille were played by Bugler David Ventress followed by readings by RAF Veteran Bryan Airlie and Ken Cooke.
The naming and restoration of this locomotive provides a fitting memorial to Ken Smith and all those who served in the Middle East and is probably the most significant and poignant achievement by the York Area Group coupled with the wonderful restoration by volunteers at the DVLR.
It was a very special day that will be long remembered with pride by all who attended.
Nick Beilby.
Photos: Philip Benham
On Saturday 5th July 2025, York Area Group's Drewry DC 2164 No,WS37 'Ken Smith' now with working vacuum connections did its first trial with coaches up the line on the DVLR. Thanks to all the DVLR volunteers for making this a locomotive to be proud of. Photos: David Rice
The two photos below show the York Power Station Loco, which has now been saved from the scrapman, transported from Essex and is now on the DVLR metals at Murton; also the meccano electric loco which Tony Simons built to promote the project at the YAG Model Railway Show. He is always on the lookout for Meccano to promote engineering. If anyone has any they no longer use, please get in touch with him, email: tony_simons@icloud.com.
Our Wickham Engineer's Railmotor, also on loan at the Derwent Valley Light Railway, is currently undergoing mechanical repairs to its elderly JAP engine, carburettor and starter to get it back into running order. Photos: Paul Sheridan & Mac Bierowiec
