Keighley & Worth Valley Railroad

The Keighley & Worth Valley Railroad commenced both freight and passenger services in 1867. Although it was a vital transport link for the local community, this was always secondary to its freight services, and so for much of its working life the branch line was known to very few people outside the vicinity.

The railroad was an early victim of the Beeching Axe, with its final service running in 1962. A preservation group had already formed as a reaction to the closure, which quickly purchased the line from its then-owners, British Rail. After a few years of preparation, the Keighley & Worth Valley Railroad re-opened in 1968 run entirely by volunteers. The branch line was preserved in its entirety, and to date it is the UK's only heritage railroad to run at its complete original length.

Since opening as a heritage railroad, the line has remained popular with the local community, but has also become a major tourist attraction. It is easy to see why the railroad is a popular feature on several of our Yorkshire tours as the line passes through the beautiful, rugged countryside and rolling moorland made famous by the Brontë sisters.