One of the district's biggest tourist attractions is steaming into the new Millennium with Keighley MP Ann Cryer as its first female figurehead.

And the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway Preservation Society's newly-elected president is thought to be Europe's first and only female senior officer of a heritage railway.

Mrs Cryer's late husband, Bob Cryer MP, helped found the society in 1962, the year after British Railways shut the former branch line and was chairman until 1972.

Now she has been elected to take over from Ralph Povey who has stepped down after 21 years as president.

Vice-president Graham Mitchell, who has himself just stepped down as society chairman after 12 years, said: "She was an enormous support to Bob throughout the 'wilderness years' from 1962 to 1968 when the society struggled to raise money, acquire rolling stock, restore buildings and re-open the former branch line.

"After the line re-opened in 1968 Ann was for many years its 'talking timetable' and the voice people ringing for information heard at the other end of the phone. She's charming, conscientious and has a real love of the railway - I know she'll represent us in the best possible way.

"Being an MP she's in a very good position to take up any issues outside the society - particularly regarding any new legislation.''

Mrs Cryer said: "I'm very proud to be heading up the society and will continue doing the work I did as vice-president now I'm president.

"At one time this, like Parliament, was an all-male preserve but I think this is a recognition of the increasing influence and work that's being done by women in railway preservation."

The Cryers and their two children, John and Jane, appeared as extras in the classic 1970 movie The Railway Children, which was filmed on the five-mile line, which today attracts some 130,000 visitors a year.

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