Events template - Keighley & Worth Valley Railway

A Diesel Gala Preview

The Rodz take over, with Guest Locomotive D9520 Class 14 ‘Teddybear’ taking charge of the train, and joined by the home fleet for a series of double-headed trains through the 5 round trips. The ‘Rodz’ train will carry the On-Train Bar for the day, serving hand-pulled real ale, brews & light snacks.

Saturday 3rd June

GUEST LOCOMOTIVE

D9520 Class 14

D9520 was completed at Swindon Works on 11th November 1964 and initially allocated to Cardiff Canton. In January 1967, it was transferred to Hull with
other members of the Class for work in the North East Region but was withdrawn from BR service there in April 1968.

Purchased by Stewart& Lloyds Minerals Ltd. the loco arrived, in company with D9523 at Glendon Quarries near Kettering on 16th December 1968, where it became No. 24 (Plant No. 8311/24) and was used to haul wagons of ironstone from the quarries to the exchange sidings, from where BR then hauled the trains to Corby Iron and Steel Works.

For the first time in over 30 years, D9520 appears courtesy of the Mid-Norfolk Railway.

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Evaluated in the 1960s by British Railways, D2511 was quickly sold out of service as being considered unsuitable as the nature of the national network changed.

After a working life of only 16 years, the small shunter was purchased by members of the KWVR and arrived here in August 1977. After two years of restoration, including rebuilding the cab and refurbishing the axle boxes, bearings, transmission and wheel tyres, it entered KWVR service in 1980.

The engine has found service primarily shunting the yards around the Railway and occasional works-train duties. D2511 has worked two coach passenger trains at special events, limited to two coaches, as it cannot maintain line speed with more than a two-coach load.

D2511 can usually be found at Oxenhope as the yard shunter there.

Not all prototypes were submitted for consideration for mass production as British Railways looked to modernise in 1955. Many fell by the wayside and were unceremoniously sent for scrap after a short life.

The engine was placed on permanent loan to the KWVR by English Electric in 1966 and is a most useful engine for the line. As the line has a 25 mph maximum speed limit, many limitations found in the British Railways service are eliminated. The 500 hp power rating means it can deal with our works trains at a speed that does not hamper passenger services working in the opposite path. The engine is capable of standing in on passenger services in the event of a steam engine failing in traffic. All in all, this engine has found a niche in preservation that it never found before.

In 2014 D0226 had its greatest passenger triumph when it was one of the two diesel locomotives used to haul the downhill leg of the intensive two-train operation that brought spectators to the Worth Valley during the Tour de France in July of that year.

In 54 years of operation on the KWVR, D0226 has sported many varied and striking liveries but currently sports one appropriate to its life on the national network. However, whatever the colour scheme, D0226 is arguably the most reliable and useful engine on the 5-mile branch line.

The docks estates at Liverpool and Birkenhead were for many years controlled by the Mersey Docks & Harbour Board which operated a fleet of steam locomotives for shunting the sidings and transferring wagons between sites. In hazardous areas of the docks (i.e. oil terminals) the Docks Board owned and operated several fireless locomotives to prevent sparks from causing fires. During the Second World War, however, one of these fireless locomotives was destroyed by enemy action.

To replace this engine, the Harbour Board approached the Hunslet Engine Co., Leeds, which resulted in the purchase of a Diesel Mechanical Diesel Shunter. This was works number 2699 and on delivery became Mersey Docks & Harbour Board Fleet No. 32. The engine was named “Huskisson” in memory of the eminent Liverpool politician who died on the opening day of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway in 1830.

The locomotive was purchased by a private member of the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway (Mr. Ben Wade) and arrived on the Worth Valley under its own power in January 1971. It initially saw much useful service on the Railway, primarily acting as shunter in one of the Railway’s yards and saw occasional use on the main branch line on works-trains and hauling short passenger services during special events.

However like all aging machines, a work-worn 32 was finally withdrawn and the long process of overhaul was begun by its owner. At the diesel gala in June 2014, 32’s long journey back to health was completed and the locomotive was able to take its place in the line-up for the weekend and has since seen occasional passenger use on two coach Keighley – Ingrow shuttles at diesel galas and special events.

ticket and EVENT INFORMATION

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10% Discount online if purchasing three or more days in advance.

day Rovers & full-line returns

DAY ROVER TICKET	ON THE DAY	ONLINE 3 DAYS IN ADVANCE
Adult	£21.00	£18.90
Concession	£17.85	£16.07
Child (5-15)	£10.50	£9.45
Children under 5	Free	Free
Small Family (One adult or concession plus ONE child)	£26.25	£23.63
Large Family (2 adults & 3 children)	£52.50	£47.25
Local Resident Card Holder & Members	£10.50	N/A

Full-line returns and other ticket types are available on the day from the booking offices.

FULL LINE RETURN	ON THE DAY
Adult	£14.00
Concession	£12.60
Child (5-15)	£7.00
Children under 5	Free
Local Resident Card Holder & Members	£7.00

	Notes:
Locomotive		D9520 & D32	–	D9520	–	D9520 & D2511	–	D9520	–	D9520 & D0226	–
Oxenhope	d	–	1000	1050	1140	1230	1335	1425	1515	1600	1645
Haworth	d	0916	1006	1056	1146	1236	1341	1431	1521	1606	1651
Oakworth	d	0919	1009	1059	1149	1239	1344	1434	1524	1609	1654
Damems	d	0923x	1013x	1103x	1153x	1243x	1348x	1438x	1528x	1613x	1658x
Ingrow West	d	0926	1016	1106	1156	1246	1351	1441	1531	1616	1701
Keighley	a	0935	1025	1115	1205	1255	1400	1450	1540	1625	1710

	Notes:
Locomotive	–	D32 & D9520	–	D9520	–	D2511 & D9520	–	D9520	–	D0226 & D9520	–
Keighley	d	1000	1050	1140	1230	1335	1425	1515	1600	1645	1730
Ingrow West	d	1006	1050	1146	1236	1341	1431	1521	1606	1651	1736
Damems	d	1010x	1100x	1150x	1240x	1345x	1435x	1525x	1610x	1655x	1740x
Oakworth	d	1016	1105	1155	1245	1350	1440	1530	1615	1700	1745
Haworth	d	1020	1110	1200	1250	1355	1445	1535	1620	1705	1750
Oxenhope	a	1025	1115	1205	1255	1400	1450	1540	1625	1710	1755

Key:

a	Arrival Time
d	Departure Time
x	Request Stop. To board a train, inform the station staff. To alight from a train, inform the Train Guard before the train leaves the previous station.
	Connections with National Rail services to Leeds, Bradford, Skipton & beyond
	Alight at Ingrow for “Rail Story” museums & exhibitions.
	Real Ale Bar Car conveyed on this train serving teas, coffees, soft drinks, real ale, wine and spirits. A selection of snacks and confectionary is available too.
	Steam Train
	Diesel Train