Full steam ahead

Oldhamers are doing their bit to help keep a top steam railway on the right track.

Some 40 years after its re-opening, the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, which runs through West Yorkshire from Oxenhope to Keighley, has built a world-wide reputation as one of the finest heritage lines.

But the railway would not have succeeded if it had not been for the efforts of a willing army of volunteers.

More than 400 volunteers operate the trains — including Peter Hutchinson, of Oldham, and Colin Mills, of Royton.

Colin, a semi-retired solicitor, joined the preservation society in 1965 when steam was coming to a halt on British railways.

He did voluntary work in the sales department in 1968 and from 1969 he has been working regularly on the station staff.

Colin said: “I look after the level crossing at Oakworth Station — which is where the film ‘The Railway Children’ was made.

“The gates are quite heavy. But it is not too bad — I manage it . . . and I enjoy it.

“Oakworth is one of the quieter stations but it is more interesting at busy times.”

Colin (66) joins the railway twice a week in the summer and brings his friend, fellow loco-buff Peter Hutchinson (78) with him.Both men are single and believe that if they had wives they might have to limit their railway hours to suit.

Peter, a retired draughtsman, was persuaded to join by a group of rail enthusiasts in Rochdale.

He began selling items from the shop in Keighley and things escalated from there.

In fact, Peter has worked in all the shops at all the stations.

He said: “I enjoy it in the station shop. I am always in the railway uniform.

“I think there is a lot of camaraderie involved and this is a place where you meet the general public.

“I have always been a railway buff and always into steam.

“This place is in a bit of time warp but I like it and it’s a good way to spend my retirement.”

Locals in the Worth Valley were told it could not be done.

But faced with the closure of their railway link to the outside world, they decided to run it themselves.

Six years of fund-raising, campaigning, frustration, hard work and acquiring and restoring redundant equipment from all over the country followed. In the end, they succeeded.

The Worth Valley line is now one of the finest heritage railways in Britain but it is still doing the job for which it was built — moving people in and out of the valley.

Most people come to sample the atmosphere of an authentic steam railway or to visit the birthplace of the Bronte sisters in Haworth.

Diesel railcars still carry locals on weekend and holiday mornings.

More volunteers will inevitably be needed to keep the trains running in the future.

But those who help out at the moment, say they are encouraged by the number of young people who are learning to run it.