Middleton Railway - 60 years of preservation today

On June 20th 1960 the Middleton Railway ran its first trains. The Railway had been saved by Leeds University students and these first trains were run in conjunction with rag week. In that week, the Railway carried some 7,500 passengers for free but soliciting donations to Rag Week.

Today should have been a gala in celebration but for obvious reasons this did not happen. A token train was operated, though, leaving Moor Road at 16.45, at exactly the same time as the first train sixty years ago. It was also hauled by Hunslet diesel No.1697, which hauled that first train. in another link with the past, the train was flagged away by Matthew Youell, the son of the Railway's founder and first driver, Dr. Fred Youell.

The train did not carry any passengers and was used for crew re-certification purposes. Also in steam was Manning Wardle No. 1601 'Matthew Murray'

 

It is good to see this preservation pioneer being able to run a train to celebrate this milestone.

John

 

Images from YouTube

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