GIANTS OF STEAM ROLL INTO YORKSHIRE

Get ready for an unforgettable journey through time as the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway (K&WVR) once again steams into action with its much-anticipated annual Steam Gala, running from Thursday, March 20th to Sunday, March 23rd.

This beloved event is a firm fixture in the UK’s heritage railway calendar, promising four thrilling days of vintage locomotion along West Yorkshire’s picturesque five-mile branch line.

This year’s lineup is nothing short of spectacular, with a diverse roster of historic locomotives set to take centre stage.

Two distinguished guest engines, two powerful industrial workhorses, and the railway’s own home fleet will come together to create a dazzling display of steam power.

Leading the charge is the impressive Class 8F freight locomotive No. 48305, a Sir William Stanier-designed workhorse rescued from a South Wales scrapyard and painstakingly restored to its former glory by the Great Central Railway in Loughborough.

Joining it is the Class 3F ‘Jinty’ shunter No. 16440, a Midland Railway Centre favourite that recently completed a meticulous three-year restoration.

Meanwhile, industrial railway enthusiasts will be treated to the ‘mighty midget muscle’ of two 1927-built locomotives.

Sentinel No. 7832 ‘Ann’, a former British Tar Products stalwart, and Avonside locomotive ‘Dora’, (in our main picture) the last standard-gauge steam engine to work in a British quarry, will showcase their historic might on the tracks. ‘Dora’ also holds a sentimental connection to K&WVR, having been briefly based there in the 1960s – now, she makes a triumphant return home

For anyone craving an immersive heritage railway experience, the Gala offers rare brake van rides aboard former Southern Railway ‘Queen Mary’ Class brake vans. Passengers can enjoy a nostalgic journey down the line, taking in breathtaking, rarely seen views from these unique vantage points.

Adding to the excitement, visitors to Oakworth Station – famed for its role in ‘The Railway Children’ – can watch a working steam crane in action, demonstrating the raw power and precision that once kept Britain’s railways running.