Rail buffs who travel the steam lines of the Worth Valley railway can at the same time go on-line with the internet at a special event to promote adult learning.

Ten laptop computers, linked to the world wide web, will be set up in a period railway carriage pulled by steam along the five mile route between Keighley and Oxenhope.

The project is a joint venture between Keighley College and the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway to help celebrate National Adult Learners' Week.

Passengers will be invited to surf the net and learn all about railways around the world. And they will also be able to visit the K&WVR's own web site.

Dr Matt Stroh, the railway's press officer, says: "We thought it was a great idea for people to experience the paradox of going on line, on line. And there's also the contract of using the high technology laptops while riding on technology of the past.

"People can also access our own web site and see how it compares with the real thing.

"While sitting in a station, they can see the image on screen and look out of the window and see how it compares."

Martyn Spence of Keighley College said access to the internet would be free of charge to everyone taking advantage of the five trips between 11.05am and 6.15pm on Saturday May 27.

"Passengers will be able to explore the railways of Africa and other continents while experiencing the sights, sounds and smells of one of Britain's best preserved steam railways," he said.

It would show how distance learning on the web is a major part of everyday life and is an important contributor to learning. The event has been organised also in partnership with Bradford & Bingley Building Society.

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