The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway are only operating their steam services at weekends at this time of year, but on the 15th of March they started their 'Railbus Wednesdays' timetable, which was very popular in 2016. With a day spare and no particular plans, I decided to catch it along the valley to the end of the line, then walk back for a bit of exercise, photographing and sketching.
I had an errand to run in Keighley, but that gave me an opportunity to walk the first leg of the journey back up to Ingrow Station, and photograph the railbus running between Ingrow and Keighley on its first service of the day. So it was up onto the riverside path which is very pretty, but also deserted and not particularly heavily used.
The railbus passing the farm near the entrance to the path.
Legging it up to Ingrow Station gave me a couple of minutes to snap some pictures on the platform before the railbus arrived, then it was a crowded journey up to Oxenhope. I was pleased to see the train heavily used- tourists, locals, and enthusiasts alike. I hadn't been able to buy a ticket at Ingrow Station, but the clippy on the train helpfully got off at Haworth and sorted it for me there.
Leaving Oxenhope Station, I took the path down the side of the Beck towards Haworth, which passes the end of the station.
I haven't done any sketching for a while, and thought I'd use the opportunity to see just how rusty I am. I set a strict time limit on each sketch, and quickly did a few drawings.
The railbus departs for Haworth and Keighley. As good a place as any for a bit of history, this is a diesel railbus made by Waggon und Maschinbau of Germany. The railbus was a popular type of vehicle in Europe, especially Germany, for lighter-used railways and British Railways introduced a number of different designs, five types in all built in small numbers by different builders, to try and find a cost-effective solution for lighter-used lines.
They were a commercial failiur largely because the piecemeal nature of the orders, and the mechanical unreliability amongst other factors doomed them. However, of the 5 W&M railbuses, there are 4 which still survive, and 2 of them are based on the Worth Valley. This example is in top-notch order, and popular for the quieter morning services at this time of year (the second example on the line is stripped-down for restoration at the moment). One 'feature' of the unit though is a very bouncy suspension on traditional jointed track, at speed it bounces around in fact in a way which our youngest finds very entertaining.
Railway history lesson delivered, on with the walk...
Then back onto the path.
I felt a little happier with this sketch, on the way to Haworth where the path squeezes through a stone wall.
Less happy with this sketch, couldn't really get the wind turbine and its movement in the pic...
Then it was onto the ancient bridge near Haworth, just time for another sketch...
...before the railbus returned.
Then it was down the slightly muddy path down the side of the line, towards Top Field.
The ruined farmhouse from the "Observe to Preserve" shots...
Probably my favourite shot of the day, though I wish that horse hadn't chosen that exact moment to move behind the telegraph pole and ruin the composition...
Then down through Haworth (via a stop at the Haworth Station shop) and onto Ebor Lane.
A pic from the top of the wall between Ebor Lane and Mytholmes Tunnel.
Then back onto the walk towards Oakworth...
The path pretty much stops at Oakworth, as the owner of the caravan park in the bottom of the valley doesn't allow a public right of way on his land. So the only pic I could be bothered with was this shot of the flowers in the park at Cross Roads, up the hill.
Down to the bottom of the valley, and a little diversion onto the trackbed of the derelict Great Northern Railway which ran up to Queensbury then Bradford/Halifax.
Interesting ferns on the embankment, and the remains of the old drainage system. I rather like the remains of the old industrial sites down here, bits of old brickwork, the abutments of old bridges and so on.
Damems Lane, usually flooded, was looking in better nick, though rumour mill has it that Skipton Properties are wanting to put some new houses hereabouts, so that might be why...
Final shot, and a usual location for me, before it was time to go do the school run.
All in all, not a bad day- its a shame the path vanishes in the middle of the valley, but in good weather it was a nice day. It was good to see the railbus getting some regular use, and it was pretty well loaded every time it passed. And top marks to the railway for running it- with a discount card, it made for a competitively-priced alternative to the buses.
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