Virtual Locomotive Roster for ‘Little Engines’ Gala 11th & 12th July & Wednesday 15th – Friday 17th July 2020

This week we drop back just three years to 2017 when in early July the KWVR held its first Little Engine’s Gala which operated over 3 days, 7th – 9th July. This Gala harked back to the early days of the preserved Railway and the KWVR honoured those early pioneers when the smaller locomotives of the fleet will took centre stage to reflect the days before the larger locomotives ruled the roost.

We welcomed two visiting locomotives, both with connections to the Railway but in diverse ways. The first to be announced was ‘Austerity’ 0-6-0ST 71515 ‘Mech Navvies Ltd’ from the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway a type of engine that featured in the early days of the KWVR with two examples of the class operational during the early years. The second guest locomotive was London & South Western Railway ‘Beattie well tank’ 2-4-0WT 30587 courtesy of the Bodmin & Wenford Railway. These well tanks were never seen in the north of England but similar locomotives, designed and owned by the Midland Railway, operated the branch in the very first years that the Railway was open in the nineteenth century.

Although only over two days of our virtual weekend, as well as the two visitors, the home fleet consists of:

Taff Vale Railway 0-6-2T No. 85
London & North Western Railway 0-6-2T ‘Coal Tank’ No.1054 (courtesy of the Bahamas locomotive society)
Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T no. 1704 ‘Nunlow’ (courtesy of the Bahamas locomotive society)
… these latter two now withdrawn for overhaul
… plus some rare passenger workings of our smaller diesel fleet.

TVR 0-6-2T no. 85 will have the honours hauling the Wednesday – Friday services between Oxenhope to Keighley after taking part in the Virtual Little Engines Gala.

Locomotive Roster for Weekdays 3rd – 6th July & Little Engines Gala 7th – 9th July 2017

This weekend sees the first Little Engine’s Gala which, like our Winter Steam gala, will operate over 3 days, 7th – 9th July. Harking back to the early days of the preserved Railway, the KWVR is honouring those early pioneers when the smaller locomotives of the fleet will take centre stage to reflect the days before the larger locomotives ruled the roost.

The railway have announced 2 visiting locomotives, both with connections to the Railway but in diverse ways. The first to be announced was ‘Austerity’ 0-6-0ST 71515 ‘Mech Navvies Ltd’ from the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway a type of engine that featured in the early days of the KWVR with two examples of the class operational during the early years. This was followed by the announcement of our second guest, London & South Western Railway ‘Beattie well tank’ 2-4-0WT 30587 courtesy of the Bodmin & Wenford Railway. Similar locomotives, but designed and owned by the Midland Railway, operated the branch in the very first years that the Railway was open in the nineteenth century.

The home fleet will consist of:

Taff Vale Railway 0-6-2T No. 85
London & North Western Railway 0-6-2T ‘Coal Tank’ No.1054 (courtesy of the Bahamas locomotive society)
Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T no. 1704 ‘Nunlow’ (courtesy of the Bahamas locomotive society)

And rare passenger workings of our smaller diesel fleet including:

BR Class 08 0-6-0 No. 08 993 “Ashburnham”
BR Class 08 0-6-0 No. 08 266
BR Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0 No. D2511
Mersey Docks and Harbour Board 0-6-0 No. D32
Prototype English Electric 0-6-0 No. D0226 ‘Vulcan’

For the public timetables in operation over the 3 days, please click HERE to visit the main website. To download the enthusiast working timetables, click on the appropriate day below:
Friday, 7th July
Saturday, 8th July
Sunday, 9th July

TVR 0-6-2T no. 85 will have the honours hauling the Monday – Thursday services between Oxenhope to Keighley before joining in with the Little Engines Gala.

Whilst every effort will made to ensure that the advised motive power is available, the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway reserve the right to change this when operational circumstances so dictate.

ex-LMS ‘Black 5’ 45212 Arrives Home

After a long and protracted restoration to mainline condition, ex-LMS Class 5MT 4-6-0 45212 has returned, albeit for a very limited period, to the KWVR for final painting and running-in prior to returning to Ian Riley’s at Bury for any remedial work and final preparation for returning to the mainline.

Locomotive Roster for Weekend 18th & 19th June and all next week to Friday 24th June 2016

The weekday service has been in the hands of MR 4F 0-6-0 43924.  43924 steps down for the weekend with WD 2-8-0 90733 to take charge of all steam services Saturday through to Friday. The morning diesel service will be provided by the Class 101 diesel multiple unit.

On Saturday we have a special timetable with our two Class 08 diesel shunters taking a rare turn on passenger duties. See our Class 08 Celebration event page for more details.

This weekend also features the second outing of the year of the Vintage Train on Sunday, supplemented once again by a vintage Keighley – Ingrow West shuttle. TVR 0-6-2T no. 85 will haul the full line service with LNWR 0-6-2T ‘Coal Tank’ 1054 on the shuttles.

The ‘main’ Vintage Set will be formed of four coaches, comprising coaches from the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Trust and Vintage Carriages Trust:
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Club Car, no. 47
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway 6-wheel 3rd Class coach, no. 1507
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Brake 3rd, no. 1474
Metropolitan Railway Brake 3rd, no. 427

The ‘shuttle’ Vintage Set will consist of two carriages from the Vintage Carriages Trust fleet:
Great Northern Railway 6-wheel Brake, no. 589
Southern Railway ‘Chatham’ Brake, no. 3554

For the timetables in operation this weekend, please click HERE to visit the timetable page.

Whilst every effort will made to ensure that the advised motive power and coaching stock are available, the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway reserve the right to change this when operational circumstances so dictate.

Class 08 Celebration

The KWVR will have a special celebratory day on Saturday 18th June 2016 when there will be a very rare chance to ride behind both of the Railway’s Class 08 shunters,  08 266 (now repainted) and our fully overhauled and refreshed 08 993 – and we have no record of 08 993 ever hauling a passenger train apart from stock movements at Swansea Station!! This special day will welcome 08 993 into service at the KWVR.

The timetable will allow for a ride behind both of the Class 08 locos (subject to availability), and will run into the mid evening. A full bar service will be available and normal fares will be charged.

See the timetable section of the website for full details of timings.

‘New’ Class 08 Shunter

With the Railway’s current Class ’08’ shunter 08 266 (D3336) requiring extensive work, the Railway has purchased a second member of the class which was deemed surplus to requirements by the mainline operator.

Numbered 08 993, the locomotive is different in many ways to 08 266 not least, as one can see from the illustrations, the lowered cab. For operating lines around Swansea from the old Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway, the cabs had to be lowered to fit beneath some very low bridges on the line, a tradition carried over from the days of steam. The locomotive is in better condition than the current resident and is also dual braked, a useful advantage for shunting any air braked only vehicles, such as the diesel crane or potential future acquisitions, such as new permanent way wagons etc.

These photographs taken by Roger France and Paul Holroyd show the locomotive on arrival at Haworth by road, the first locomotive to arrive with us at this location for many years, due to Ingrow’s restricted access. Currently in EWS livery, the locomotive will be repainted in due course in an appropriate colour scheme.