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Wednesday 16 February 2011

Whistle


Here's a classic steam train shot.  Locomotive BR Standard 4MT No. 80002 arriving at Oxenhope station, as part of the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway's Steam Gala Weekend. (Although this train is 'resident' on the line and is often used to haul the normal service.)

Even though I'm not a rail enthusiast in the accepted sense of the word, I still find steam trains exciting and romantic.  And this line is very scenic, passing through some lovely Yorkshire countryside and some attractive and interesting villages.

The Worth Valley line was opened in 1867, built by local mill owners but franchised to the Midland Railway. It eventually became part of British Rail in 1948 and was closed in 1962 as part of swingeing cuts across the British rail network.  Locals fought to keep it open, creating a preservation society to buy the line and lease access into Keighley station, where it joins the main rail network.  The line was reopened in 1968 and has run a regular service ever since, staffed entirely by volunteers.

14 comments:

  1. Oh, what a marvellous picture, Jenny! I'd love to be on that train.

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  2. And I can't help but think of the last scene in the Railway Children - every time I visit. "Daddy, my daddy!" (makes me have goosebumps even as I type!)

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  3. Road to Poudlard! Is Harry Potter on board?..:)
    I love the mood around this old train!

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  4. I love these stories of where the people of a community will pull together to maintain an old tradition. Bill has an interesting story of the same thing happening in his hometown in Switzerland but with an old steamboat on the lake.Nice shot, the weather looks like it is improving.

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  5. Wow, I love love trains for some reason.
    Seriously beautiful photo!

    Hope you're having a great day!

    Betty xx

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  6. A great image, so realistic I can hear the steam hissing, the engine chugging, and the whistle blowing!

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  7. At least SOME good things came out of Beeching!

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  8. They surely are exciting and romantic. Very interesting perpective on the previous photo.

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  9. How fun! My triplets LOVE trains. I called them in to see your photo and they wanted to take over my laptop! lol.

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  10. I might be wrong, but I don't think "train-spotting" is as big a thing over here in Canada. Shame.

    Terrific photo!

    Kat

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  11. Another good picture and good story. I like reading about communities that band together to save their heritage.

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  12. This is so classic. I saw your title first, then the sign in the photo - funny!

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  13. I love how you captured the movement in this image. Lovely! ~Lili

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  14. You're so right, Jenny, our trains are centuries apart. The trains that ran on the KCR when I first got to HK in 1985 were old, but not at all romantic like this one! Like you, I'm not an enthusiast, but nice, after all, is nice.

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