40 YEARS OF STEAM IN THE WORTH VALLEY

That this House congratulates the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway Preservation Society on 40 years of operating a safe, reliable and magnificent heritage railway from Keighley to Oxenhope in West Yorkshire, formerly the West Riding; recognises that the society has organised the running of its railway on democratic principles, which has meant that those members who do the work also make the decisions; remembers with great affection the two founder members of the society, the late Bob Cryer MP and the late Ralph Povey, who had the foresight, imagination and tenacity to call a public meeting following closure by British Railways in 1962 and then pushed forward the formation of the society and subsequently its operating company; wishes also to remember with gratitude the very many society members who have devoted a considerable part of their lives giving their time, skills and energy to volunteering on the Worth Valley Railway which will remain a wonderful and lasting memorial to all; and recognises however that were a further memorial needed then doubtless it would be the 1970 feature film, The Railway Children, all of the location work taking place on or near the line and the three steam locomotives used being the true stars of this much loved film.