The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway has paid tribute to a popular volunteer who died suddenly only hours before he was due to start a shift as a fireman on a steam locomotive.

The tragic death of Richard Walker at the age of 28 earlier this year came as devastating news to the railway’s volunteers, many of whom had attended his wedding less than a year earlier.

Now volunteers have commemorated the life of their friend in true railway style – by attaching a special headboard to one of the engines at this weekend’s Diesel Gala, which runs until Sunday.

The headboard, which simply reads Richard Walker 1982-2010, will be seen by hundreds of visitors during the course of this weekend’s popular event.

Mr Walker, who was born and brought up in the Haworth area, started working on the railway at a very young age, encouraged by other family members who were also actively involved.

Over the years, he worked in a number of departments, most recently working on the restoration of several locomotives.

The shock news of his death, which happened in the early hours, reached volunteers on the morning of the railway’s Winter Steam Gala in February.

Richard Pompret, a fellow volunteer who was working as stationmaster at Haworth yesterday, said: “The railway holds a number of special events throughout the year and once a year we have this diesel weekend.

“It attracts people from all over the country who are special diesel enthusiasts and maybe wouldn’t come specially for a steam weekend.

“Richard was such an important member of the railway – it was an unexpected sudden death.”

During the three-day diesel gala, a host of heritage diesel locomotives are in action on the scenic line, which runs through the heart of Bronte country.