Keighley & Worth Valley Railway

The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway is a five-mile preserved heritage line running from the market town of Keighley through to Oxenhope, passing through Haworth, the home of the Brontës. Trains are hauled by either steam or diesel locomotives, so it's worth checking the roster before you travel if you have a preference. The line is reportedly the only one to run the full length of the original route, and it stops at some genuinely charming stations along the way.

Tickets can be bought on the day at the station, but booking in advance is the better option as you cannot book online on the day itself. A Day Rover gives you unlimited hop-on, hop-off travel across the whole line, which is a good way to spend a few hours. Some carriages have hot drinks and snacks available on board, and there is enough time at Keighley and Oxenhope to step off and grab a drink if yours does not. Some carriages are accessible for pushchairs, and the railway has wheelchair-accessible entrances, parking, toilets and seating.

Trains currently run at weekends, with the station open from 9:30am to 4:30pm on Saturdays and Sundays. There is a free car park at Oxenhope station, with overflow parking available on busier days. Haworth itself is well worth a wander between trains, with plenty of cafés, pubs and the Brontë Museum all within easy reach of the station.

The railway is run as a charity and preservation society, so a visit directly supports the ongoing restoration and maintenance of the locomotives and rolling stock. Beyond standard train rides, there are also special experiences on offer including footplate experiences, brake van rides, dining trains and birthday parties, making it a place you can return to for something different each time.