North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion

Which is why I and others helping the HRA have put so much time and effort into protecting the sector as best we can

 

What is common sense to one person will not be to another. Legislation is riddled with examples of the law of unintended consequences, of far greater significance than extra encumbrances on heritage railways. I see it in my job every single day - things that were never intended by those who originally drafted the legislation. So the job of organisations like the HRA is absolutely critical in pointing these things out in relation to sectors that, realistically, government will have no experience of.

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My observation is that Martyn’s law is an incredibly badly drafted populist response to a dreadful tragedy. It has far reaching unintended consequences but there’s reluctance to question its terms for fear of being accused of not respecting the victims of the Manchester Arena terrorist attack.

 

Quite. I forget who it was that said “<victims name> law” is a guarantee of a half baked attempt to memorialise someone in a way that will be impossible to oppose, but they were right.

I hope HRA are working with others likely to be caught up in something that will be used by the big music promoters to consolidate their monopoly, heedless of the far more serious failures like those that killed at Brixton Academy a year or two ago.

 

Quite. It wouldn't have prevented the attack either, so I don't see what difference it'll make.

Old Buckenham air show caused quite a stink when they indicated they were going to go down the route of mandatory bag checks at the entrance, and saying bags must be no bigger than A4 size. Yet all it'll end up doing is creating a bottleneck which is surely more of a target than a lot of people spread around a field. And then you have Shuttleworth where you park your car next to the runway!

 

Over on the nymr forum, from which lineisclear is sadly missed, reports that the £49.50 annual pass with gift aid is going and being replaced with a £49.50 per visit?

Now as we have been told since it started that the £400k revenue stream from HMRC was essential..........

How is it going in the bin?

Haven't seen anything official as yet.

 

Being a simple soul I have never quite understood how a railway , that is purportedly offering a train service, can claim gift aid at all. I was told that VAT is not levied on railway fares hence the need to run a timetabled service from A to B. I have a vague idea that another railway in Yorkshire had a big run in with the taxman ( sorry, taxperson) over this issue. There is no museum experience, it's a train service. However those who know can clarify this.

 

Gift Aid is not bring abandoned. There are two ways in which it can be recovered. Either offer free of charge return for 12 months ( It's not really an automatic annual pass but the opportunity to claim a free ticket one at a time against proof of identity and original purchase) or offer a 10% uplift (which gives the railway the extra 25% Gift Aid) but it's allowable to give a voucher for an amount greater than the uplift to be used in the railways' catering and retail outlets . Obviously that can encouarge secondary spend. The second option is being adopted for the 2025 season.
Is there any logic in VAT exemption for travelling from A to B whilst at the same time recovering Gift Aid on the basis that the ticket gives the opportunity to view the work of the charity? No, but tax law is riddled with similar inconsistencies. HMRC have agreed both benefits for a charity. The NYMR is an accredited museum and receives substantial grant support as a direct consequence.

 

Presumably the railway will be honouring the 12 months FoC return for those of us who took it up? Ours was purchased in late August, so plenty of time to use it still this year...

 

Of couse!

 

Will we have details of the running days soon? People are booking short breaks and may miss out if the railway is closed two days a week.

 

Off peak,the NYMR will be running Saturday to Wednesday inclusive. During Easter holidays and the summer holidays in July and August,they will operate 7 days a week. Exact dates not specified yet.

 

So looking back to the agm and how important Gary Mumford said that getting over £400k in gift aid back from HMRC was as extra income and is a massive contributor.

How will this shortfall be filled under the new complex arrangements?

Also, wonder how much the new season ticket will be when announced with what caveats attached.

 

Although significant I don't think the Gift aid brought in the expected funds as take-up was not as high as expected although I've not seen any detailed figures, only 'about £200K. I've not yet heard anything about the season ticket but I don't think it will be for 12 months, just for the calendar year in question. It doesn't seem as though single tickets will be available, either, despite many involved with booking offices saying that there is a significant demand for them.

 

Outsider here but yes I'd have thought there is a market for one way from Pickering to Goathland or Whitby and the other way on the bus.

 

Grosmont-Goathland then walk back on the rail trail is one we often do

Jon

 

I’m told that these are frequently asked for tickets for the reasons suggested. If their non-availability means people don’t travel that is money lost for no good reason.

 

I might be wrong, but isn't the provision of single tickets one of the ways that you can demonstrate you are a transport undertaking and not just a visitor attraction (and therefore qualify for the zero rating for VAT)?

Disclaimer: It's not completely my area, and tax law is, as we have seen, complex and sometimes illogical.

Tom

 

Are the tickets branded to create meaningful journey opportunities?
A Moors Explorer for Whitby to Goathland, and Ryedale explorer for Whitby to Pickering.

Meanwhile, many people are booking holidays unaware the NYMR is closed for two days a week.

 

2025 Ticketing Details

We will be announcing our ticketing details in the new year, please consider joining our Services & Events mailing list to hear when they are available to purchase.

Perhaps that means 2026?