EIGHT DAYS OF ACTION FOR BIGGEST KWVR GALA YET
A total of 11 locomotives will be in action on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway’s “biggest ever gala day” on June 30 – just one highlight of the line’s 50th anniversary event on June 24-July 1. The railway has released details for the various events taking place throughout its marathon eight-day gala, with 11 steam and diesel locomotives in action during the penultimate day of the event. Day 1 (June 24): Recently overhauled Ivatt ‘2MT’ No. 41241, freshly outshopped in its original, 1968 KWVR red livery, will be relaunched back into traffic on the first day of the event, for which KWVR Preservation Society members are entitled to free travel. Visiting LNWR ‘Coal Tank’ No. 1054, 1968 end-of-steam veteran ‘Black Five’ No. 45212 and ‘West Country’ No. 34092 City of Wells will also be in steam, alongside the line’s resident BR ‘4MT’ 4-6-0 No. 75078. Days 2-4 (June 25-27): Visiting LMS ‘7P’ No. 46100 Royal Scot will be hauling the majority of the passenger services over the Haworth-Oxenhope branch for days 2-4 of the gala, often in partnership with No. 41241. The KWVR’s resident ‘4F’ No. 43924 and ‘4MT’ No. 75078, and visiting Nos. 34092 and 45212, will also be in action variously during the ‘Royal Scot Days’. Day 5 (June 28): The line’s smaller locomotives come to the fore for the ‘Vintage & Little Engines’ day, with visiting ‘Coal Tank’ No. 1054 and ‘57XX’ 0-6-0PT No. 7714 working alongside ‘4F’ No. 43924 and former Mersey Docks & Harbour Board Hunslet 0-6-0DM No. D32 throughout the day. Day 6 (June 29): 50 years to the day since No. 41241 and ‘USA’ 0-6-0T No. 72 hauled the KWVR’s inaugural train, the ‘Mickey Mouse’ tank will be hauling an invite-only reopening special. No. 72 will not be joining it, as its overhaul has not yet been completed (SR480). Other steam-hauled public trains will also be running, while GB Railfreight Class 66 and Class 73 locomotives will be hauling a one-off passenger service after the Class 66 is named Keighley & Worth Valley Railway – 50th Anniversary 1968-2018 at Keighley. Day 7 (June 30): The penultimate day of the event will be the KWVR’s biggest ever gala day, with up to 11 steam and diesel locomotives in action on the 4½-mile line. All visiting locomotives will be in steam, as well as most of the ‘Worth Valley’s’ steam fleet. Day 8: (July 1): The final day of the gala will showcase diesel power, with visiting ‘Deltic’ No. 55019 Royal Highland Fusilier and Class 50 No. 50035 Ark Royal working alongside various members of the KWVR’s steam fleet. For more information, visit www.kwvr.co.uk/50th, where you can book tickets and download timetables.