A STEAM railway has said it will rely on donations to cover spiralling costs of coal, rather than increase ticket prices, as supplies become increasingly scarce.

Many of the country’s 200 historic railways are competing for an ever-dwindling supply of suitable coal, compounded by the closure of Scottish Coal last month and a fire at a mine in Warwickshire.

Some of the country’s heritage lines are on the brink of having to suspend their steam engine services.

Philip Benham, general manager of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, said the mine closures had caused worry for the steam railway industry, although new suppliers had started to filter through in recent weeks. He said they were now “concerned” but “not particularly panicking”.

Prior to the collapse of two of the major coal suppliers in Britain, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway had already been hit by a doubling of coal costs over the previous year, which led to the launch of a fundraising campaign by the railway, called Cash for Coal. Passengers on the historic line can donate loose change to the fund.

Mr Benham said he wanted to continue to try and make-up the shortfall by relying on these donations, rather than putting up ticket prices to compensate for the rise in coal price.

He said: “We’re well aware people have less money at the moment. We’re in leisure and tourism, people don’t have to travel with us, so we can’t just put up prices without realising it will have an impact on people wanting to travel.”

The railway uses about 2,500 tonnes of coal a year to fuel its steam engines on the picturesque 24-mile line between Pickering and Whitby.