The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway was originally opened in 1867 to serve the many mills in the Worth Valley and transport passengers between Keighley & Oxenhope. British Railways operated the last scheduled passenger train on Saturday 30 December 1961, however freight trains continued to run to Oxenhope until 18 June 1962.
A preservation society was formed in 1962 of rail enthusiasts and local people which bought the line from BR and reopened it on 29 June 1968 as a heritage railway. Today, the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway has grown into a popular tourist attraction in Yorkshire, carrying thousands of passengers a year.
The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway is now home to a large collection of steam and diesel locomotives plus a wide range of vintage carriages.
LMS 4F No.43924 is one of the steam engines owned by the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, originally built in 1920 at Derby Works to haul freight services. No.43924 was withdrawn from service in 1965 and sent to Barry scrap yard to be disposed of. The 4F became the first engine to leave Barry scrap yard and was moved to Keighley. No.43924 returned to steam in July 2011 after a long overhaul at Haworth.
Join the crew of the 4F as they tackle the steep gradients from Keighley to Oxenhope. Using new technology, you're able to witness the 4F working hard along the Worth Valley from a whole new prospective.
Whilst watching the DVD, you're able to follow the 4F from Keighley to Oxenhope from a series of different angles including onboard the footplate, both the driver and fireman's cabside views and from the motion gear. Whilst also watching from the different view points of the 4F's footplate, footage is also included from the lineside showcasing the 4F from several different view points along the Worth Valley.
The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway is renowned for its challenging route, immediately after departing from Keighley Station the engine has to work hard due to the 1 in 56 gradient. With an average gradient of 1 in 70, the train travels just under 5 miles from Keighley to Oxenhope whilst passing stations Ingrow West, Damems, Oakworth and Haworth.
There are two viewing options to the DVD, these include:
Option 1: Sit back and watch the action from the 4F's footplate from several different camera angles including from the lineside. This option includes short titles informing you of the gradient profile and key locations along the route. Viewing Option 1 on the DVD lasts approx. 41 minutes.
Option 2: This options allows you to watch the driver's cab side view, unedited for the whole trip from Keighley to Oxenhope. Viewing option 2 on the DVD lasts approx. 26 minutes.
Produced by - Steaming Around Yorkshire
Running time - 42 Minutes approx
Format - 16:9 Widescreen UK PAL
Blu-ray and DVD
Released - October 2017