Fifty years since last BR train marked (From Keighley News)

Fifty years since last BR train marked

1:56pm Thursday 5th January 2012 in Worth

A special re-enactment was held to mark the 50th anniversary of the final British Railways passenger service on the Worth Valley line.

The same type of diesel unit which operated that last service recreated the event on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway.

The train set off from Oxenhope and then Keighley late on Friday afternoon – exactly half a century on from that fateful day.

And, as in 1961, the local mayor was invited to wave off the service.

Both Keighley town mayor Tony Wright and the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Naveeda Ikram, were present.

Railway spokesman Kieran Pilsworth said: “British Railways closed the line because it was difficult to manage and passenger numbers were declining.

“The railway would have been lost forever if not for the formation of the Keighley & Worth Valley Preservation Society. Thanks to our team of dedicated, skilled and qualified volunteers we now have something of a national treasure, attracting more than 100,000 passengers per year and contributing around £6 million to the local economy. We were delighted to be able to mark this anniversary.”

Gary Verity, chief executive of tourism agency Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “The railway continues to delight visitors from around the country and the globe every week and plays a key role in attracting visitors to our great county. It is steeped in history and this event celebrated a turning point in the fortunes of this particular railway and the eventual birth of a new tourist attraction.”