THOUSANDS of transport enthusiasts boarded historic trains enjoying this weekend’s Keighley & Worth Valley Railway’s Steam Spectacular.

About 3,000 visitors headed for the tracks making years’s autumn celebration one of the best yet, said KWVR’s marketing manager Sarah Howson.

The platforms have been packed with passengers ready to ride the length of the line on the engines re-creating the hustle and bustle of the steam age.

The event also welcomed two guest locomotives, Southern Region Rebuilt ‘Battle of Britain’ class 34053 ‘Sir Keith Park’ , courtesy of the Severn Valley Railway and Southern Locomotives Limited and GWR ‘Manor’ class 7822 ‘Foxcote Manor’ courtesy of the Foxcote Manor Fund and the Llangollen Railway.

Popular guided tours through the Locomotive sheds were also on offer at Haworth and there was an opportunity for people to take a closer look at The Green Dragon, an engine being restored which was used in the film The Railway Children.

Built to serve the local mill trades in the late 19th Century, the railway is just over 4.5 miles long and packs in six stations.

In the Oakworth yard, the husband and wife team of Keith and Margaret Bonner were firing up the Grafton steam crane to give demonstrations.

“There’s certainly been lots for people to see and do but this Autumn Spectacular has to be our main event of the year for true steam enthusiasts who love steam, love engines and want to get photos.

“The platforms have been full waiting for the first trains of the day, people have been queuing. It’s been great to have visiting engines this time adding to what we’ve got.

“We have lots of events throughout the year but this is the big one. We’ve had about 3,000 people so we are delighted,” said Ms Howson.

Real ale, bacon butties and other food delights were also on offer throughout the weekend keeping visitors fuelled up.

The next event on the railway will be its four-day beer and music festival with live bands at Oxenhope and Keighley stations from October 20 to October 23 in aid of its Ivatt appeal.

More than £60,000 has been raised so far to get the class 2 tank locomotive 41241 back in to service by early 2018 in time to mark 50 years since the railway re-opened in the preservation era.

After the beer and music festival it will be time for the start of Santa Specials running every weekend from November 26 right up until Christmas Eve.

“There’s lots lined up for 2017. We’ll be doing lots of events for children," Ms Howson said.