The Keighley Worth Valley Railway...

Hi all. Today myself, Jenny and her best friend Alice visited the lovely Keighley & Worth Valley Railway in West Yorkshire. Running between Keighley & Oxenhope a distance of only five miles. This would be the girls first visit to KWVR & my second visit (my previous being in 2010). After yet another early start and meeting part way with Alice at Leeds, we eventually arrived at Keighley at 11:20, tickets purchased we boarded the DMU service to Oxenhope. After a fairly reasonable trip to Oxenhope from Keighley it was time for lunch. After a visit to the railway's buffet coach for lunch we went onto the station platform to join the crowd of other people all stood around looking at LMS Black Five No.45212, the rostered steam locomotive in operation alongside the DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) in operation during our visit to Keighley Worth Valley Railway.

We decided to leave the crowds to visit the Exhibition building where LMS 8F No.48431 seen in the photo above could be found minus tender alongside GWR Pannier tank No.7775 although currently in fictional livery used in the ever popular film "The Railway Children" filmed at the KWVR in the 70s. Proberly one of mine and Jenny's joint favourite films to watch.

While in the exhibition Hall, the girls spotted a Pullman railway coach "Mary" which by coincidence shares its name with my mum (see close up photo above), course very much tongue in cheek I decided to take a photo of the name on the side of the coach before walking back onto the platform as 45212 was coupling to the other end of her train to return to Keighley. 

We decided to board the train and travel as far as Ingrow to visit the BLS (Bahamas Locomotive Society) and RailStory museum's at Ingrow before heading back to Keighley Mainline Station to head back to Leeds where we would go our separate ways to Alice. 

We left Oxenhope with the recognisable sound of a Stanier Hooter from 45212 with brief passenger stops at Haworth, Oakworth, Damens and finally Ingrow where we got off to walk down the station yard to the BLS societies small museum building in a converted engine / wagon shed. While in the museum, we found 0-6-0 Saddle Tank "Nunlow" & 0-4-0 Tank "Tiny" seen in the over all photo above.

After a taking a few photos of both engines, we headed back out into the yard to walk over to the Rail Story Museum where a collection of historic railway artefacts and coaching stock are based.

Before walking over to Rail Story we stopped to get a photo of the breakdown steam crane and yard crane where Jenny offered to pose for a photo next to it before walking over to the museum.   

While in the museum we were lucky enough to be shown round the impressive collection of artefacts and wooden bodied rolling stock which can be found in the museum, some used during the filming of the Railway Children.

After walking round looking at the various exhibits we couldn't leave the museum without going via the gift shop to buy ourselves small tub of Ice Cream each. External and Internal photos of the Rail Story museum building can be seen below.

I will add one vehicle that did catch my eye while in the museum was the small Rail bus vehicle that can be seen in the photo below in the museum workshops hidden slightly behind one of the metropolitan Suburban coaches. After exiting the museum we headed back to the station to sit in the sun and eat our ice creams and wait for the return of 45212 bound for Keighley. 

Before long the sound of 45212's whistle could be heard in the distance as she entered the tunnel before she rolled into the station before stopping to pick up passengers, we boarded the train to find the train pretty much full although we were lucky to find a seat on a slightly noisy coach which families with screaming kids... oh the joys. lol. After boarding the train, we departed Ingrow bound for Keighley.

On arriving back at Keighley we got off the train to have another up close look at 45212 before crossing over the footbridge to the Mainline Station to wait for our train back to Leeds before me and Jen said our good byes to Alice before we went our separate ways. 

While waiting for our train back to Leeds we heard 45212 as she ran round her train to return back Oxenhope. Before long our train arrived and we were all on our way back to Leeds. Another fantastic day out. Thanks to Jenny and Alice for their company throughout. Cheers all, Jake...