© Geoff’s Rail Diaries 2011 The Worth Valley Railway, one of the very first standard gauge preserved lines, became particularly well known in the mid-70s on the release of the film "The Railway Children". One of the (mechanical) stars of that film was the unique ex- L&YR Barton Wright 0-6-0 no. 957, built in 1887. Painted in a fictitious livery, it was "the green dragon", which was saved from disaster by Jenny Agutter after that famous landslip... I had met no. 957 a couple of times previously in that green livery - it was displayed on the site of the former Leeds Central station in 1971. On this occasion, however, it looked much more modern - painted in BR black livery, and bearing its BR number 52044. And it was in steam - a fairly rare event at that time - ready to work a special train for filming purposes. Other than that basic fact, I can remember little else about this trip. The normal service train was in the capable hands of Ivatt 2-6-2T 41241, at that time still bearing its crimson "K&WVR" livery. Similarly, "Fred", the ex-NCB Austerity (RSH 7289/45) bore a blue variant. These were still early days in preservation - I don't think we quite knew how best to do it... The steaming of 52044 illustrated must have been one of its last before a lengthy period out of service; now fully restored, it is once again an active member of the fine fleet of locomotives on the Worth Valley Railway. Link: Keighley and Worth Valley Railway 41241 at Haworth station 52044 - getting up steam - and Peckett diesel "Austin's No 1" P5003/61 "Fred" RSH 7289 of 1945 The Midland 4F 43924 (first escapee from Barry) 41241 - drifting back towards Haworth 41241 arrives at Damems 52044 runs round its train at Keighley 52044 heads away from Keighley 52044 heads away from Keighley 52044 heads away from Keighley No 957 on display at Leeds Central, June 1971