THE heroic efforts of staff and volunteers have kept trains moving across one of the most spectacular landscapes in Britain.

Despite the extreme weather conditions only a few services run by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway have had to be cancelled since the snow started to fall before Christmas.

And the railway was also able to make a little bit of history by providing steam trains between Whitby, Grosmont and Battersby for the first time in years.

Frequent snow falls have meant anything up to 12 inches of snow in some spots along the railway, with temperatures at times as low as -13C.

But only a few services had to be cancelled - mainly early mornings, due to frozen points and pipework affecting heating, and on January 2, when trains from Grosmont couldn’t run on the Esk Valley line as the weather was so bad staff were advised to stay away.

General manager Philip Benham said: "I would like to pay tribute to our staff, many of whom are volunteers, who battled over snowbound roads and worked in appalling conditions.

"Their heroic efforts and dedication helped to keep the railway going.

"At times like these, it is clear that the railway is vital not just as a tourist attraction, but as a form of transport connecting communities across the moors."