Keighley & Worth Valley Railway February Gala

During the weekend of 17/18th February the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway held another Steam Gala.
Once again the weather cooperated providing two quite sunny, almost windless days, the latter being of far more importance to a sound recordist!

On the Saturday morning, after seeing the visiting engine, GWR Hall 4-6-0 4953 'Pitchford Hall' shuffle off towards Ingrow (Honest! It didn't bark, it shuffled!) with a demonstration freight I travelled up to Oakworth where my next recording was made just beyond the level crossing of the Ivatt 2-6-2T 41241 departing.
With a few passengers on and off and a whistle from the guard 41241 gets away smartly with it's 4 coach load.

I stayed in the same spot at Oakworth for 4953 'Pitchford Hall' which is heard getting the 'right away' from the guard as this recording begins.
This time the Hall doesn't shuffle and it's bark soon drowns out the sound of an aircraft passing overhead but seems to disturb a nearby flock of geese as it continues the journey to Haworth and Oxenhope.

For my next two recordings I walked down to Damems station where the first train to come up from Keighley was a five coach passenger train hauled by 41241 piloting BR Standard Class 4 2-6-4T 80002.
The pair stop briefly in the station before continuing into Damems Loop not far away.

The reason for the change of location was to be in the right place to record the next train, the demonstration freight hauled by the Lancashire & Yorkshire 0-6-0 957 and banked by the Taff Vale Railway 0-6-2T 85 which was only going to Damems Loop before returning to Keighley.
As the recording begins the pair are heard approaching Damems where the starting signal is against the train.
The signal soon clears, the two locos exchange whistles and with much clanking from the wagons, the train continues into the loop with the banker sounding to be doing much of the work.

The next train up from Keighley was in the hands of 4953 and was booked to run non-stop from Keighley to Oxenhope and I returned to Oakworth to record it.
'Pitchford Hall' can be heard accelerating away from the loop as this recording begins.
Approaching Oakworth station the loco is eased a little but can be heard continuing the climb towards Haworth in good style.

As the weather was still good with only a very light wind I was able to make a second, shorter visit with a friend on the following day, Sunday 18th February 2007.
Our first recording was at Damems of the demonstration freight with 957 banked by 85.
This time the signals were clear and the train passes through without a stop being required.

The next train was 'Pitchford Hall's non-stop run and we took ourselves off to the top of Mytholmes Tunnel for a recording.
This proved to be a good choice of location as we could hear the Hall climbing from Damems Loop.
This recording begins as the loco passes Oakworth station.
The Hall sounds to be going well on the gradient and passes through the tunnel below us before continuing non-stop through Haworth station.

Next we went down to Keighley and were pleased to find that the wagons from the demonstration goods train were parked at the end of the long siding which extends to Globe Curve.
The reason why this pleased us was because the presence of the goods train blocked the view from the usually very popular photographic location and gave us a rare chance for a recording there. As they say, it's an ill wind!
The train we were to record was double headed by 957 & 85 and the pair are heard making fairly easy work of 5 coaches on the steep climb out of the station.

For our next recording we went to a spot about half way between Haworth and Oxenhope, also a popular spot with photographers but, as the sun was beginning to set we thought we would be Ok.
The first train to pass was hauled by 4953 'Pitchford Hall' which can be heard passing in fine style on the way to the terminus.
Photographers weren't the problem here but aircraft were. While waiting for this train we were entertained, if that's the right word, by an almost continuous stream of light aircraft, some very noisy, using a small airfield above Oxenhope. Fortunately, only the quieter ones were flying when the Hall passed!