The Museum of Rail Travel

MAN has alway wanted to cross the river or see what lies over the next hill.  This means that transport has always been important to the human race. The Museum of Rail Travel in West Yorkshire contains a fascinating collection, which tells the full story of rail travel. It has something for everyone, whether they are railway buffs, historians or just tourists looking for an interesting place to visit.

The Vintage Carriages Trust established the Museum of rail Travel in the Ingrow Railway Centre, neat Keighley, which has become a Mecca for all railway enthusiasts.

Visitors are able to enter the restored carriages, many of which are truly magnificent. The more fortunate older generation will recall what rail travel was like in the great days of steam locomotives. The youngsters can only begin to imagine what it must have been like, Everywhere there is that nostalgic smell of hot oil, coal and steam.

There is an audio commentary system, which regularly relates the great tales of travellers from the past. Visitors are able to watch a video of the more significant steam locomotives of the past.

Many tourists enjoy viewing the historic carriages and sitting in the compartments that have been used in many films, TV Productions and advertising campaigns. A favourite game is trying to link the carriage with the entertainment.

Tourists can fire their imagination by mounting the footplate of the locomotive, Lord Mayor. This is the highlight of the visit for many small boys and for a lot of older men who are still boys at heart.

A favourite part of many visitors’ sojourn is watching the museum’s expert restorers exercise their magic on new acquisitions.

The Keighley and Worth Railway, which still uses steam-hauled trains in normal circumstances runs past the Museum of Rail Travel. Visits are able to use the Ingrow station Coach and Car Park to park, ride and visit, possible the best way to enjoy everything that this museum and the railway have to offer

The Museum of Rail Travel offers a great day out for the entire family and is ideal for school and other educational visits. There is a great deal of wheelchair access throughout the museum and it has ample free car parking.

The Vintage Carriage Trust operates the Railway Relics Shop, which offers out-of-print transport magazine and books, guard’s lamps and cast-iron railway signs as well as many other pieces of railway memorabilia.

Donations of back-copies of railway magazines are welcomed by the Railway Relics Shop. They are also grateful for donations of other suitable materials and they will make a cash offer for larger collections of books or railway hardware.

The Vintage Carriage Trust uses the all the money that it raises for the restoration and maintenance of its collection of locomotives, carriages, coaches and wagons.

Opening times at the Museum of Rail Travel and the Relics Shop are 11:00 to 16:30 daily with the exception of Christmas Day. The Vintage Carriage Trust does charge a small admission fee.

The museum and shop is based in the Ingrow Railway Centre on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway and is handily placed for exploring Halworth Parsonage and other parts of the Bronte Country.

It is one mile south-east of Keighley town Centre on the A629 road. Visitors should keep watch for the brown tourist signs pointing the way out to Ingrow.

More details can be obtained from 01535 680425.