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45212 has been at the head of all steam services since the end of November, initially hauling Santa Steam Specials then the Mince Pie Specials after the Christmas Day break. 45212 will continue its sterling work by heading the Mince Pie Specials through into the New Year.
The railway is now over 150 years old with much of the infrastructure dating back to the earliest days of the KWVR in the nineteenth century. As you would expect, some of the Railway’s structures are succumbing to the passage of time and one such is Bridge 11, the first bridge your train crosses after leaving Ingrow Tunnel. As a result, we really need your help to the finance its replacement.
In this, the last weekend of the Santa Steam Special plus Christmas Eve, 45212 will head the service from Keighley to Oxenhope with the Oxenhope to Keighley 'downhill' leg in the hands of 37 075. The diesel railcar service will be operated by our Class 101 diesel multiple unit. Services on the first two days of the Mince Pie Specials will also be hauled by 45212
For the penultimate weekend of the Santa Steam Special weekends, 45212 will once again be in charge from Keighley to Oxenhope on Saturday with the Oxenhope to Keighley 'downhill' leg in the hands of 20 031. On Sunday 45212 gives way to 5820, assisted by 20 031. The diesel railcar service will, again, be operated by our Class 101 diesel multiple unit.
For the second weekend of the Santa Steam Special weekends, 45212 will once again be in charge from Keighley to Oxenhope with the Oxenhope to Keighley 'downhill' leg in the hands of 20 031. The diesel railcar service will be operated by our Class 101 diesel multiple unit.
The final 3 days of our 2018 Santa Steam Specials will see 43924 and 78022 in action once again before our volunteers get a well earned day off but they return on Boxing Day with a week of Mince Pie Specials, next week hauled by 43924.
Week 3 of Santa Steam Specials sees 43924 out on the line for the first time this festive season on Saturday with 78022 operating the Sunday services. Diesel 20 031 will be at the Keighley end of the train. Once again there will be a diesel railcar service all weekend for anyone wishing to travel, who has not got a Santa Steam Special ticket.
The second weekend of our Santa Steam Specials, for holders of pre-booked tickets, will have 78022 taking the man in red up and down the Valley on Saturday and 41241 on Sunday. There is a diesel service operating all day, for those not holding pre-booked tickets operated by our Class 101 diesel multiple unit. Santa Special ticket holders can also travel on these trains, the fare is included in their Santa Steam Special ticket
Visiting LMS Class 5MT 44871 will be at the head of all steam services from Boxing Day through to Monday 1st January 2018.
Visitors to the Railway should be aware that there is a change of locomotive on Saturday with 5820 now taking the place of 43924. 44871 will take the Sunday service as originally posted on the website.
Weekends of Santa Steam Specials and Father Christmas travelling up and down the Valley will soon be over for another year as we approach the last weekend before Christmas and Santa leaves for the North Pole and his most important night of the year. It will be the same combination of steam locomotives as last weekend with 43924 on Saturday and 44871 on Sunday. Our class 101 diesel multiple unit will be providing an additional journey to Santa ticket holders and a pay on the day passenger service for our other visitors.
Three weekends of Santa Steam Specials and Father Christmas and our volunteers are still going strong. The steam locomotives attached at the Oxenhope end of the train this weekend will be 44871 on Saturday and 43924 on Sunday. Our class 101 diesel multiple unit will be providing an additional journey to Santa ticket holders and a pay on the day passenger service for our other visitors.
Father Christmas has certainly been busy and so have our volunteers. The steam locomotives attached at the Oxenhope end of the train this weekend will be 5820 on Saturday and 90733 on Sunday and the diesel power at the north end will once again be 25 059. Our class 101 diesel multiple unit will be providing an additional journey to Santa ticket holders and a pay on the day passenger service for our other visitors.
The Santa Steam Special season has come to a close for another year and the Railway can look back with great pride at over 50 years of success and after 51 years, in 2016, we carried more excited families on this wonderful journey. This is our second photographic record, covering the years 1991 - 2015 and we look forward to carrying on this tradition for many years to come.
The last Santa Steam Specials of 2016 will be hauled by 5820 and 25 059 before our volunteers take a break on Christmas Day and then 75078 will be at the head of Mince Pie Specials from Boxing Day and into 2017.
Launching our 50th Anniversary Return to Steam Appeal for the lvatt tank locomotive, 41241, just over a year ago, we have made significant progress towards raising the overall £200,000 sum which we need to see the locomotive returned to steam by June 20l8 in time to then haul our special anniversary train. We are now launching our third stage of the Appeal.
The 4th weekend of our Santa Steam Specials will see 90733 at the head on the climb up the Valley and diesel 25 059 and the Keighley end. It is our annual Carol Service Train on Saturday evening when 90733 will once again be at its head.
As well as the Santa Steam Specials, the Railway is running a Heritage Diesel Railcar service which is free to all holders of Santa Steam Special tickets but, on the purchase of a ticket to travel, is also available for any visitors wishing to take a trip on the Railway.
When a small 0-4-0 saddle trundled into Haworth Station with Father Christmas on board, no-one could have envisaged that 50 years on, the Santa Steam Special is the biggest event on the Railway's calendar, and has carried thousands of happy little children over those 50 years. This is our photographic record of the first 25 years with more to follow.
The trains have been full to capacity and will be once again this weekend with steam haulage in the hands of 90733 both days with 25 059 providing the power downhill.
Every year the on the last Saturday before Christmas, the Railway runs its annual Carol Service train. This audio extract charts the passage of the train down the Valley bringing, carols, readings and goodwill to all the communities that surround our stations.
Thanks to the heroics of our volunteers after the Haworth flooding, services re-commenced at 12.30 Sunday 27th and photographers were there to record the event.
Thanks to a truly remarkable effort by the emergency services and the trusty KWVR volunteers who never fail to deliver, the Railway is open for business. First train from Oxenhope 12.30
There will be no trains until after 12.00 Sunday, 27th, with a decision being made on Sunday morning as to whether the infrastructure has sustained any damage preventing a passenger service running. Hopefully, once all the damage has been assessed a passenger service will operate later in the day.
As a result of Bridgehouse Beck bursting its banks overnight, Haworth Station and Yard have suffered severe flooding and all passenger services today have been cancelled.
The last Santa Steam Special operates on Christmas Eve behind 75078 and then, with a break on Christmas Day, it's steam every day with the Mince Pie Specials using 75078 and 5820
Two steam and two diesel locomotives plus a diesel railcar will be in operation this weekend for the last of the Santa Steam Special weekends.
Oxenhope toilet block receive a Highly Commended in The Stagecoach Volunteers Award competition
Chose which Sponsorship package suits you and your pocket - bronze, silver or gold - and become an Official Ivatt Appeal Supporter with a regular monthly payment or lump sum. Help us get 41241 back on the tracks in time for the 50th Anniversary celebrations
75078 and 90733 will provide the power for the Santa Steam Specials this weekend in what could be another mixed weather weekend with even the possibility of snow being forecast.
It has been announced that the NELPG's LNER K1 2-6-0 62005, a regular performer on The Jacobite service from Fort William to Mallaig will be the first 'outsider' guest locomotive at a KWVR gala for over a year, when it takes part in the 2016 Winter Steam Gala.
Tickets now available for weekends 5th & 6th and 12th & 13th on our Santa Steam Specials
Traction for this weekend will be 75078 / 37 075 and 90733 / 20 031 for the second weekend of the 2016 Santa Steam Specials