It may be 1999 and all that, but train crews in North Yorkshire are being trained to drive steam engines.

The Northern Spirit train company and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway are teaming up to provide a new steam service between Pickering and Whitby, which is set to run in the summer.

Northern Spirit, which runs train services on the picturesque Esk Valley line between Whitby and Middlesbrough, has been training its crews to operate the North Yorkshire Moors Railway's steam locomotives.

The Esk Valley line links up with the Moors Railway at Grosmont.

Roy Lingham, 51, of Bridlington, a diesel train driver for Northern Spirit, was trained last summer as a fireman on the steam locomotives in Grosmont.

He said: "I was there for three weeks' training. The first week was all in the classroom, learning about various parts of the steam locomotives. The last two weeks were practical training on the trains between Grosmont and Pickering."

Roy, originally from London, has worked in the railway industry since 1968. He said: "I came into the industry just as steam was going out, so being on the steam trains is going to be special. It will be like going back in time, really, and it's very exciting.

"The machinery of the steam locomotives is so special and, come the summer, hopefully, I will be a part of it."

David Bishop, Northern Spirit's general manager for the North, said: "The Esk Valley route is one of the most scenic railways in Britain.

"The link-up with the North Yorkshire Moors Railway will allow us to run additional services to meet the growing public demand for leisure travel to this lovely part of Yorkshire."

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