CALDER-SAVILE

28. He would prefer payment of the £20 ticket at the time of booking. The meal is a choice with three courses, also tea or coffee. Contact John 01422 345968.

Leisure Gardeners Federation

The next meeting of Calderdale Leisure Gardeners Federation will take place at Arden Road Social Club on Thursday, February 25 next and will start at 7.45pm. There is to be a question and answer roadshow with a panel of gardening experts, one of which will be David Metcalfe from Nelson in Lancashire. David won the National Leek Championship at Harrogate Autumn Flower Show with the Pendle Improved variety he has bred at his Hodge House allotment. At the Harrogate competition, leeks were awarded points for condition, size, uniformity, shape and colour. It comes a week after he claimed first prize in the blanch leek category at the World Leek and Onion Championship, in Maryport, Cumbria. He also finished the runner-up in the quality onion section, David has a string of other awards over the last 30 years.

Probus Club

Member Mr Ron Bull’s talk discussed The Scarborough and Whitby Railway. The railway operated from 1885 until 1965 but proved to be a difficult line to use.At the junctions in Scarborough and Whitby the trains had to reverse direction in order to gain access to the route thus causing delays. The track also had a steep gradients and, as the track ran along the coast, the lines were affected by rain and mist. In the 1960s steam trains were replaced by diesel but the trains still struggled up the steep gradients. In 1963, despite public outcry, the line was closed by Dr Beeching. The route is now used by walkers and cyclists and is very popular providing wonderful