Railway enthusiasts celebrated the age of diesel power on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway at the weekend.

The famous railway, which is usually dominated by steam locomotives, made room for the trains which were brought in during the 1950s to take over from steam.

Stephen Hogg, vice chairman of North Yorkshire Moors Railway, said: "It's the one weekend of the year when we turn the railway over entirely to diesel traction. The main people it appeals to are the enthusiasts, but members of the public should be able to enjoy a journey bringing back memories too."

During the weekend the railway played host to one of the famous Deltic locomotives which were for a time used on the East Coast Main Line between London and Edinburgh.

Mr Hogg said: "That's the first time that particular locomotive has been here in ten years.

"We've also had the first visit of a Class 33, a medium-powered locomotive which used to work in the South of England and now does special work anywhere on the network."

There was also a Class 37 locomotive, no 37116 Sister Dora, which was loaned to the railway by English Welsh & Scottish Railways. It was named after a woman who ministered to the sick during a smallpox outbreak in Wakefield during Victorian times.

The National Railway Museum also loaned one of its locomotives, the Western Fusilier, which has been at York since it was withdrawn from service 25 years ago.

The railway's own Type 2 low-powered diesel locomotives were also working during the weekend.

Mr Hogg said: "In this country diesels were brought in in the 1950s to replace steam.

"There are still some diesels in operation, but a lot of them have the power plant attached to the rest of the train. It is very rare to have a separate diesel locomotive."

Updated: 11:39 Monday, April 30, 2001