FAMILIES in North Yorkshire are on track for a week of half-term fun at one of York’s top tourist attractions.

The National Railway Museum (NRM) has welcomed the return of the world’s only working replica of George Stephenson’s legendary locomotive Rocket to the Leeman Road site.

Its arrival gives visitors the chance to delve through the early history of the railways through theatre performances, hands-on creative activities and steam rides pulled by the locomotive in the NRM’s South Yard.

The 1979 replica returned to York after a period of restoration and will be joined by a second Stephenson remake, Locomotion, which has been loaned to NRM by the Beamish Open-Air Museum, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham.

Jim Lowe, the NRM’s visitor experience operations manager, said: “We’re so pleased to have Rocket returning to the museum that we’ve themed our whole half-term holiday around it.

“With such a wide variety of activities going on, we’re sure we’ve got something to keep all members of the family entertained.”

Children will also be able to make their own Rocket model to take home, with steam rides running from 10.30am to 1pm and 1.30pm to 4pm during half-term, with the cost being £1.50 for adults and £1 for under-16s, while those under two can travel for free.

Meanwhile, the Once Upon A Tide exhibition is bringing the story of international travel to the NRM, exploring a century of North Sea ferry crossings between Harwick and Hook, and a roll-on roll-off ferry has now taken centre stage on the museum’s turntable display.

Youngsters will be able to join in through games, craft activities and storytelling during the exhibition, which is sponsored by Stena Line BV and continues until September 6, and once it closes the objects it has featured will be moved to the Spoorwegmuseum in Utrecht, Holland.

More details about all these events can be found at nrm.org.uk