Keighley heritage railway to host rock festival (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Organisers invite groups to perform alongside major nationwide acts on Keighley & Worth Valley Railway

9:10am Wednesday 23rd March 2011 in Oxenhope By Clive White

A heritage railway is to join the rock concert circuit with a three-day festival along the scenic five-mile line.

It will involve transforming its engine shed in Oxenhope into a 500 capacity venue where festival-goers will share the space with seven steam engines.

Keighley station, at the other end of the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, will stage concerts while a Pullman carriage will become a venue for acoustic bands as it travels along the line through Bronte country over the weekend of Friday, June 10, to Sunday, June 12.

The task of setting up the stage in the engine shed has been given to Bradford-based Universal Live event solutions company.

Also involved is Keighley music agent Mickey Thompson, who last year organised the Leeds Festival Fringe where 123 bands performed at eight venues over seven days.

He wants to hear from Yorkshire bands, musicians, schools, dance academies and drama schools who are interested in performing on the station stages.

He said: “We want the best unsigned acts from Yorkshire to apply. We want applicants to send links and information about why they should be chosen.”

People interested in performing should e-mail rockandrail@kwvr. co.uk or go to rockandrail.co.uk to buy tickets.

• Read the full story in Wednesday's T&A