Keighley and Worth Valley Spring steam Gala One of the U.K's premier preserved railway lines, the KVWR is one of the longest established tourist lines having been a pioneer of preservation since the band of enthusiasts determined to save it after closure by British rail in 1962. In 1968 it reopened for its full five mile length and has now grown to the point where it carries over 100,000 visitors a year. The line itself, part of the old Midland railway, leaves Keighley station where it is still connected to the national network and heads South West terminating at Oxenhope The line became famous when it was used for the classic film 'The Railway Children' with some of its locos painted in a fictional GNSR Livery The spring steam gala is a much anticipated event as it is one of the first big events held as the tourist lines start up again after the winter, However it does carry some risk as the weather in the valleys of West Yorkshire in March is not exactly renowned for being either good or predictable. I was on my way to exhibit one of my Z gauge layouts at the annual Keighley model railway exhibition and thought I'd call in on the Friday afternoon. The weather was appalling! Driving rain and howling winds made for difficult conditions to film in but did not put off the hundreds of visitors on the first day. LMS Jubillee 4-6-0 'Bahamas' with its distinctive double chimney looks splendid after its recent overhaul A shot of the yard at Haworth as the locos are prepped for running. From left to right are LMS Class 2 2-6-0T 46521, USATC S160 5820 'Big Jim', LMS Black 5 4-6-0 45212, LMS Jubille class 45596 'Bahamas'. LNWR 0-6-"T Coal tank 1054 with LMS Ivatt 2MT 2-6-2T 41241 behind, LMS 4F 0-6-0 43924, BR class 2 2-6-0 78022 also just back after an overhaul. The Coal tank and the 2MT Black 5 45212 runs light engine up the hill out of Keighley station more soon Kev
The Ivatt 2-6-2T 41241 in its rather bright red paint scheme running round the train at Oxenhope In driving rain 'Bahamas' arrives at Oxenhope The LMS 2-6-0 46521 is paired up with the BR 2-6-0 to double head one of the services Big Jim was the standby engine on Friday. This Lima built 2-8-0 was turned out in 1945 to aid in the rebuilding of Europe after the war. shipped to France not long after arriving in Britain it was rescued from Poland in 1977 and its current boiler ticket lasts until 2023. I'm very tempted to make a Gauge 1 live steam model of one of these engines at some stage as I've got a full set of wheel castings in the loft somewhere Kev
There are a number of locos displayed that are not operational at present One of the stars of the railway Children was this ex Great Western 0-6-0PT number 5775 which hauled the 'Old Gentlemen's train' in the film. Formerly operated by London Transport it cam to the railway in 1970 Stanier's classic LMS 8F 2-8-0 number 48431 awaits a ten year overhaul More soon
The tiny Hudswell Clark 0-4-0ST 'Lord Mayor' was built in 1893 and was one of the first locos on the railway The railway has also built up a reputation for outstanding work on preserving some very rare passenger stock. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway saloon is magnificent . A Great Northern railway teak coach shows the attention to detail the Vintage Carriage trust are noted for A view of the workshop at Ingrow
In the video, despite the weather you'll get a flavour of just how much there is packed into this little railway. I did comment though to one of my companions that it was definitely an OMWDC event, A phrase we coined at Barrow Hill Roundhouse it stands for 'Old men with digital cameras!' I can say that because I suspect I may be one myself! It starts with the action on Friday followed by some scene setters at Haworth in the yard as the locos were prepped for the Sunday running. At the end is a short section of footage taken from some Super 8 my dad shot in the early days of the railway, Quite a contrast. cheers Kev
Wonderful video, thanks. Your Dad's film shows an operational railway hard at work, vastly different from the bright and shiny tourist railway fifty years later.
Wow!!! What a fantastic stable of motive power! You write the line is only five miles in length? Is that all of the route which remains, intact? Or does more lay dormant, which might another day again be activated?
It was always only 5 miles terminating at Oxenhope. But the main line connection means that steam railtours can start from there and go anywhere on the system. They ran a couple of tours with Bahamas recently up to Carlisle. In other news 48431's sister engine 48151 was out on the Cumbrian Coast Express today. Seen here at Askam heading back to London. Motive power was slated to be one of the Jubilees, either Leander or Galatea. Kev
