A local boiler manufacturer steamed to the rescue following an SOS from the Keighley & Worth Valley Rail-way. A broken boiler threatened to throw the famous five-mile line off track in its busy half-term holiday week. But Byworth Boilers stepped in with one of its hire machines to pre-heat every carriage on the K&WVR holiday specials. Mark Collinson, the railway's traffic manager, said: "It's certainly very handy having one of the country's leading boiler manufacturers on the doorstep. "Everything was installed, connected and running exactly when we needed it. The most important thing, though, was that our passengers enjoyed a warm, comfortable journey."

Byworth - as well as manufacturing boilers - offers a range of steam and hot-water varieties for hire. The one supplied to the K&WVR was a 1,000lb/hour steam version. The company's technical sales engineer, Simon Jackson, was at Oxenhope Station to ensure everything was functioning correctly when the first train heated by the Byworth boiler pulled away from the platform.

Byworth Boilers technical sales manager Simon Jackson (second from left) sees off a half-term special with K&WVR staff, from left, traffic manager Mark Collinson, secretary and guard for the day Ken Cook, chairman Paul Brown, driver Richard Griffin and fireman Chris Ford