STEAM trains return to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway tomorrow after being forced out by the risk of them causing lineside fires amid tinder dry conditions.

Deputy CEO Laura Strangeway said the summer had been a 'challenging' one, with the dry weather sparking a number of lineside fires.

However, recent rain had reduced the fire risk sufficiently to allow the railway to bring steam back this week as part of a phased approach, guided by the North York Moors National Park.

She said this also meant the annual steam gala would live up to its billing and feature a full steam locomotive programme.

She said locomotives making an appearance at the gala, which runs from September 22 to 25, would include the BR Standard 5 No.73156, visiting courtesy of the Great Central Railway in Loughborough,  and LNER A4 ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ No. 60007.

The Annual Steam Gala Beer Festival at Goathland and Levisham stations would showcase a selection of real ales and ciders from local breweries including Breworks at Pickering, Whitby Brewery, Helmsley Brewery and Yorkshire Heart, and Pickering Station would host an array of trade stalls featuring railway memorabilia and model railways.