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Find out moreVisit Scarborough North Bay Railway
Rediscover your inner child at Scarborough North Bay Railway
At what age do children stop doing things unselfconsciously, just for the fun of it? Skipping along pavements, singing nonsense songs or tightrope-walking every low wall in sight. I ponder this as I ride Scarborough's North Bay Railway while visiting my old flatmate Michael. Two grown men, now in our fifties, clutching an ice cream in one hand while waving (it's compulsory) with the other, and trading "choo-choo"s every time the whistle blows.
The North Bay Railway claims to be the ‘largest miniature railway in Britain’, but facts to back this up seem scant. Scarborough’s contender to the title first opened in 1931, and the railway runs for a mile, unsurprisingly, along its scenic (and less commercially noisy) North Bay.
Boarding at the main terminus in the Oriental-themed Peasholm Park, passengers ride in open-sided carriages pulled by one of four diesel engines (look out for the excellently named ‘Flying Sconesman’). Extra-long carriages at either end provide space for wheelchair users and those with buggies.
The route initially skirts the park, with its pretty lake, high-ropes course, water slide and bumper boats, before passing behind Scarborough’s famed Open Air Theatre. If lucky, you might catch a backstage glimpse of whichever big-name act is performing that night (Kylie sang ‘The Loco-Motion’ aboard the train ahead of her show there last year).
Gallery
Beyond the park, the line opens out to elevated views across the wide and sandy bay, running parallel to the beach with its colourful huts, crazy-golfers, and myriad waving pedestrians, with Scarborough Castle watching over from a distance.
The line terminates at Scalby Mills, at the far end of the bay, where passengers can visit penguins, sharks and sea-dragons at the Sea-Life Centre, stroll back along the bay’s wide esplanade, or simply watch the locomotive spin on its turntable before riding it back again.
The journey itself takes about 10 minutes each way, or 30 for a there-and-back trip (even longer if you stop at one of the platform cafes at either end).
While it does have a practical purpose (there’s no vehicular access along the beachfront), Scarborough’s North Bay Railway is also the epitome of fun just for the sake of it. So give your inner child a treat – grab an ice cream, bag a seat, and don’t forget to wave.
Choo-choo motor-homers!
Members receive a 10% discount with the Great Savings Guide. Find out more here.
Stay at: Cayton Village, Scarborough West Ayton
Please visit camc.com/greatsavingsguide for vouchers, discount codes, and pre-booking where applicable, along with terms and conditions for all offers. Make sure to check the site and attraction opening dates and times before your visit or travel.
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