Punters are starting the weekend early at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway Beer and Music Festival.

This year’s event is dedicated to raising money to get the organisation’s Ivatt locomotive number 41241 back in steam in time for the railway’s 50th anniversary in 2018. It is one of two locomotives that hauled the re-opening special back in 1968, so is very much an important part of the Railway’s history. In support of the Appeal, Kirkstall Brewery has brewed a special Ivatt Ruby Ale.

The main festival site is at Oxenhope Station in the Exhibition Hall, where there is the main festival bar with over 100 beers, both local and from all around the country.

Alongside the main bar, there are four brewery bars - main event sponsors Kirkstall Brewery from Leeds, local Keighley brewers Bridgehouse and Goose Eye and from further afield, Brass Castle from Malton.

There will be live music on the stage at Oxenhope today, Saturday and Sunday. Bands will also be performing at the Keighley station on Friday and Saturday from 2pm.

The festival stared yesterday and runs until Sunday.