Railway Children Celebration

Railway Children Bank Holiday Celebration

For this weekend only, Up to two children (aged 5-15) dressed as wartime evacuees will enjoy a free day rover on the Keighley Worth Valley Railway when accompanied by an adult with a full price Day Rover ticket.

This year, a dual celebration will be held over the August Bank Holiday weekend, celebrating the 1970s film “The Railway Children” which shot the KWVR to international stardom and won the hearts of millions. Alongside that, we will be celebrating “The Railway Children Return”, a brand new feature film set for release in the summer of 2022.

Across the bank holiday weekend, see re-enactments and locomotives featured in both films & visit Oakworth Station, the home of the “Railway Children”.

Dates

Saturday 27th August
Sunday 28th August
Monday 29th August

Big Jim

Our lovable rogue, Big Jim, is the steam locomotive that features in one of the major scenes in the Railway Children Return, where the children stop the military train that Lily and Abe are being held captive on. Built by the Americans for the war effort in the 1940s, Big Jim can be seen hauling trains all weekend. 

‘The Evacuee Carriage’

The carriage used in the Railway Children Return’ will be available to ride in on trains throughout the weekend. Please check the timetable for which trains have this vehicle on.

The Railway Children Return is themed around Children being evacuated from cities to the country. For this weekend, only Children Travel Free when dressed as wartime evacuees.

‘Thomas’s secret hideout’

The brake van used in the Railway Children Return is on display at Oakworth station for you to climb into and imagine yourself in the scenes from the film. You can access this all weekend.

The 4F Steam locomotive.

This steam engine features in several scenes in The Railway Children Return. This locomotive is now in need of a rebuild and isn’t able to Steam anymore. You can see it on display in our Exhibition shed at Oxenhope.

‘The American Military Train’

The Military train in the Railway Children Return will be carrying out demonstration runs Hauled by Big Jim on the line on Monday 29th August. Look at our timetable and find the best spot to watch this train pass. It won’t be possible to travel on this train; however, seeing the spectacle of it pass will undoubtedly be worth the wait!

Keep an eye out for the American military police, who will be travelling around the Railway by road on Monday in their Jeep!

The Metropolitan Carriages

The KWVR is lucky to have access to some beautiful carriages from the Vintage Carriages Trust, which will be in use this weekend on Saturday and Sunday. These carriages featured in the first film and were seen with many people waving their hankies…!

Check our timetables to see when you can ride in these fantastic vehicles.

‘The Scotch Flyer’

‘It’s all uphill to Scotland!’

The Scotch Flyer will be steaming through the Worth Valley on Saturday & Sunday, non-stop through Oakworth Station! We’re sure ‘Perks will be about’.

‘The Old Gents Saloon

The carriage featured in The Railway Children carrying the Old Gentleman that the children waved to. The carriage will be displayed in Oxenhope Exhibition Shed, and you’ll be able to climb onboard and explore, along with a volunteer to tell you about the carriage and its history.

OAKWORTH STATION

The place to visit over the weekend is, of course, the iconic Oakworth station. Featuring in both Films as ‘Oakworth’, you can see the locations used for many scenes in the old and new films.  

Make sure you have your camera phone and take some selfies! You can upload these to Social Media and tag us; they’ll feature on our new visitor gallery.

Oakworth’s new tea hut will be open during the weekend, serving hot and cold drinks, Yorkshire Dales Ice Cream, sandwiches, cakes and snacks – an ideal location to spend an hour!

Guided Tours of the station will be taking place daily, giving you information on the station’s history and some facts you won’t have heard of!

DAMEMS STATION

This station’s road crossing is featured in the Railway Children Return when the US military police stop the train that Lily and Abe are travelling to Liverpool on. 

Damems is the UK’s smallest full station and is a lovely place to spend a few minutes when changing trains. There is a lovely footpath nearby where you can see the trains passing.

THE RAILWAY CHILDREN

On Monday 29th August, the Children who play the characters Thomas, Pattie and Ted will visit the KWVR to participate in activities. A book and merchandise signing with the children will take place between 12:00 and 14:00 in the Secret Hideout vehicle. You’ll be able to buy merchandise at Oakworth station on the day.

The Producer

Jemma Rodgers, the producer for the new film, will be visiting on Sunday and Monday and will be doing a short talk on the film from concept to delivery at 11 am and 1pm, at Oakworth Station.

The Railway Children (1970)

The 1970 film version of Edith Nesbit’s story The Railway Children brought the Keighley & Worth Valley into the limelight, with the railway and the surrounding valley used as the backdrop for the film. The story revolves around a family with three children – Roberta (also known as Bobbie), Peter and Phyllis; their father was arrested on suspicion of being a spy.

The mother hides this from the rest of the family, and they had to move to the countryside due to becoming impoverished. They move to a cottage called Three Chimneys in Yorkshire near Oakworth Railway Station. The rest is history…

The Railway Children Return (2022)

The Railway Children Return will take audiences on an exciting and heart-warming journey in which a group of children are evacuated to a Yorkshire village during World War 2, where they encounter a young soldier who, like them, is far away from home….

Production company Studio Canal has released the first trailer of The Railway Children Return, filmed along the railway and surrounding areas. Multiple trailers have been released during the run-up to the film’s scheduled release date on 15h July 2022.

The Railway Children Return is helmed by BAFTA-winning director Morgan Matthews and written by BAFTA-winning Danny Brocklehurst.

Starring Sheridan Smith, Jenny Agutter (who returns as Bobbie from the original beloved family classic), Tom Courtenay and a new generation of Railway Children!

EVENT INFORMATION

Up to two children (aged 5-15) dressed as Wartime Evacuees will enjoy free heritage train rides on the Keighley Worth Valley Railway when accompanied by an adult with a Day Rover ticket.

Day rover fares  (Book your tickets online three days in advance & save 15%!)

  • Adult – £20
  • Concession – £17
  • Child – £10
  • Child under 5 – Free
  • Family (One adult or concession plus ONE child) – £25
  • Family (Two adults or concessions plus three children) – £50
  • Members can use their Day Rovers for this event.
  • Local Resident Cards are valid across the weekend.
  • Children’s free tickets are only valid on full-price day rovers.
  • Book three days in advance and save 15%!

If you live in Postcode areas BD20, BD21 or BD22,  you can take advantage of special reduced fares by having a Local Residents Railcard. Find out more information about how to apply on the website.

Car parks are available at five of the KWVR stations, and for the benefit of satellite navigation system users, the KWVR station addresses & postcodes are:

  • KEIGHLEY – Keighley Railway Station, Station Bridge, Keighley, BD21 4HP
  • INGROW – Ingrow Railway Station, South Street, Ingrow, Keighley, BD21 5AX
  • OAKWORTH – Oakworth Railway Station, Station Road, Oakworth, Keighley, BD22 0DZ
  • HAWORTH – The Railway Station, Station Road, Haworth, Keighley, BD22 8NJ
  • OXENHOPE – Oxenhope Railway Station, Station Road, Oxenhope, Keighley, BD22 9LB

You can find more information about getting the railway in the dedicated travel section.

  Notes:
Oxenhope d
1000
1045
1135
1225
1310
1355
1445
1530
1615
1715
Haworth  d
0925
1006
1051
1145
1231
1316
1401
1451
1536
1621
1721
Oakworth d
0928
1009
1054
1148
1234
1319
1404
1454
1539
1624
1724
Damems d
0930x
1013x
1057x
1152x
1239x
1323x
1407x
1457x
1544x
1627x
1727x
Ingrow West d
0934
1016
1101
1156
1243
1326
1411
1501
1548
1631
1731
Keighley d
0940
1025
1110
1205
1250
1335
1420
1510
1555
1640
1740
  Notes:
Scotch Flyer
Keighley d
1000
1045
1140
1230
1310
1355
1445
1535
1615
1655
1800
Ingrow West d
0925
1006
1051
1146
1236
1316
1451
1541
1621
1701
1806
Damems d
0928x
1009x
1054x
1149x
1239x
1319x
1454x
1544x
1624x
1809x
Oakworth d
0933
1015
1100
1155
1245
1326
1500
1553
1630
1815
Haworth d
0936
1019
1103
1159
1249
1329
1419
1504
1559
1634
1819
Oxenhope d
0941
1025
1115
1205
1255
1335
1425
1510
1605
1640
1825

Key

5820 ‘Big Jim’ and Chatham – TSO 33 – RMB – TSO 36 – TSO 39
37075 BR Class 37 and BS10 – S16 – Metropolitan Railway Brake 427 – Metropolitan Railway 465 – Metropolitan Railway 509
85 TVR Class 02 and BS10 – S16 – Metropolitan Railway Brake 427 – Metropolitan Railway 465 – Metropolitan Railway 509
Emergency Stopping the train at Oakworth Station 
Scotch Flyer ‘Express Service’

  Notes:
Oxenhope d
1000
1045
1135
1225
1310
1355
1445
1530
1615
1715
Haworth  d
0925
1006
1051
1145
1231
1316
1401
1451
1536
1621
1721
Oakworth d
0928
1009
1054
1148
1234
1319
1404
1454
1539
1624
1724
Damems d
0930x
1013x
1057x
1152x
1239x
1323x
1407x
1457x
1544x
1627x
1727x
Ingrow West d
0934
1016
1101
1156
1243
1326
1411
1501
1548
1631
1731
Keighley d
0940
1025
1110
1205
1250
1335
1420
1510
1555
1640
1740
  Notes:
Scotch Flyer
Keighley d
1000
1045
1140
1230
1310
1355
1445
1535
1615
1655
1800
Ingrow West d
0925
1006
1051
1146
1236
1316
1451
1541
1621
1701
1806
Damems d
0928x
1009x
1054x
1149x
1239x
1319x
1454x
1544x
1624x
1809x
Oakworth d
0933
1015
1100
1155
1245
1326
1500
1553
1630
1815
Haworth d
0936
1019
1103
1159
1249
1329
1419
1504
1559
1634
1819
Oxenhope d
0941
1025
1115
1205
1255
1335
1425
1510
1605
1640
1825

Key

5820 ‘Big Jim’ and Chatham – TSO 33 – RMB – TSO 36 – TSO 39
37075 BR Class 37 and BS10 – S16 – Metropolitan Railway Brake 427 – Metropolitan Railway 465 – Metropolitan Railway 509
85 TVR Class 02 and BS10 – S16 – Metropolitan Railway Brake 427 – Metropolitan Railway 465 – Metropolitan Railway 509
Emergency Stopping the train at Oakworth Station 
Scotch Flyer ‘Express Service’

  Notes:
Locomotive
85
5820
DMU
85
5820
DMU
20031
DMU
85
DMU
5820
DMU
85
5820
85
20031 
Type
SUB
RMB
DMU
SUB
DEMO
DMU
RMB
DMU
SUB
DMU
RMB
DMU
SUB
RMB
SUB
RMB
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Oxenhope d
1005
1050
1130
1215
1300
1350
1440
1525
1610
1655
Haworth  d
0920
1011
1056
1136
1221
1306
1356
1446
1531
1616
1701
Oakworth d
0923
1014
1059
1139
1224
1309
1359
1449
1534
1619
1704
Damems d
0929x
1017x
1102x
1142x
1227x
1312x
1402x
1452x
1538x
1622x
1707x
Ingrow West d
0933
1021
1045
1105
1146
1209
1231 
1252
1316
1340
1406
1430
1456
1541
1626
1710
Keighley d
0940
1030
1050
1110
1155
1214
1240
1257
1325
1345
1415
1435
1505
1550
1635
1715
  Notes:
Locomotive
85
DMU
5820
20031
DMU
85
DMU
5820
DMU
85
DMU
5820
85
5820
5820
85 
20031 
Type
SUB
DMU
DEMO
RMB
DMU
SUB
DMU
RMB
DMU
SUB
DMU
RMB
SUB
RMB
DEMO
SUB
RMB
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Keighley d
1005
1035
1050
1130
1202
1215
1245
1300
1330
1350
1420
1440
1525
1610
1655
1720
1750
Ingrow West d
1011
1040 
1136
1207
1221
1250
1305
1335
1356
1425
1446
1531
1616
1726
1756
Damems d
1014x
1139x
1224x
1309
1359x
1449x
1534x
1619x
1729x
1759x
Oakworth d
1020
1145
1230
1315
1405
1455
1541
1625
1735
1805
Haworth d
1025
1150
1235
1320
1410
1500
1544
1629
1739
1809
Oxenhope d
1030
1115
1155
1240
1325
1415
1505
1550
1635
1720
1745
1815

Key

5820 ‘Big Jim’ and Chatham – TSO 33 – RMB – TSO 36 – TSO 39
20031 BR Class 20 and Chatham – TSO 33 – RMB – TSO 36 – TSO 39
DMU Class 101
85 TVR Class 02 and BS040 – Jubilee Bar – TSO38 – SLO17 – SLO19
5820 ‘Big Jim’ and Met Brake – Box Van – Lowmac – Club Car (Please not this is not a passenger service)

Saturday 27th August

5820 USA S160 ‘Big Jim’
85 Taff Vale Railway Class 02
37075 British Railways Class 37

Sunday 28th August

5820 USA S160 ‘Big Jim’
85 Taff Vale Railway Class 02
37075 British Railways Class 37

Monday 29th August

5820 USA S160 ‘Big Jim’
20031 British Railways Class 20
85 Taff Vale Railway Class 02
DMU Class 101