The Friends of the Kirklees Light Railways 4th Annual Gala Weekend will take place over the weekend on the 12th and 13th September. The theme of this years event is “Back on the Line Again” which will be a grand reunion of locomotives that have been residents of the line in the past or perhaps it could be a tantalising glimpse of what the KLR locomotive fleet may have looked like.
The former resident locomotives attending the event are Wroxham Broad from the Bure Valley Railway, SR & RL No.24 from the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway and Sian from the Windmill Farm Railway. Also visiting from Cleethorpes will be the former Bush Mills Railway Mountaineer which is coming to Yorkshire to test its new cylinders and other improvements. The KLR’s home fleet of locomotives which includes a Kitson Meyer and a Heisler will be in action over the weekend too.
Stephen Ashton, a spokesperson for the Friends of the Kirklees Light Railway, said “This is one of those “what might have been” events, all the locomotives attending were based on the railway in the past and moved elsewhere for various reasons. For one weekend our visitors will get the chance see what our locomotive fleet may have looked like if history was re-written. We are very grateful to the owners of the visiting engines to allow them to attend”
The event on the 12th and 13th September will feature an intensive timetable with additional shuttle workings and a demonstration goods train for photographers. There will be displays of vintage vehicles, the Calderdale Co-operative of food produces will have a stand show casing their products, a model exhibition and the Barnlsey Society of Model Engineers Duck Pond Miniature railway will be in operation too. Mr Ashton adds “There is something for everyone at this event and it appeals to people of all ages.”
