A KEIGHLEY museum about steam locomotives will open its doors for free to the public next month.

Families and railway enthusiasts will be able to see the Bahamas Locomotive Society’s museum and workshop for the first time since lockdown began.

Society members have been working hard to make safe the Ingrow Loco Museum, which is at Ingrow West railway station on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway.

The workshop reopened last weekend for its own volunteers, who restore historic steam engines such as the Coal Tank and Bahamas.

The society decided to offer free admission to all visitors during the opening weekend on August 15 and 16.

The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway (K&WVR) will begin operating train rides for the public the following week, on Wednesday August 19.

Bahamas Society chairman Keith Whitmore said: “Visitors will not walk freely around Ingrow Loco Museum but will be offered guided tours.

“The safety of our visitors and members is our number one priority. Appropriate safety measures have been put in place and will be clearly described on entry to the museum.

“Visitors will be required to use hand sanitiser when entering and leaving the museum and if use of the toilet is required. Regular cleaning of surfaces will be undertaken following each guided tour.”

Mr Whitmore said the museum had been registered with Visit England and had been classed as a ‘Good To Go’ visitor attraction.

He added “We do look forward to seeing our friends and visitors again during the summer months but please recognise that everything is not back to normal: we want to see everyone safe and happy whilst they are with us.

“A further announcement about the museum’s opening times will be issued very shortly. The museum will most certainly be open every Sunday in August but we do expect to be open on additional days when the K&WVR is operating.

“We are very grateful for the financial support we have received from Museum Development Yorkshire to ensure that our museum can open safely.”

Mr Whitmore said the K&WVR planned to begin operating trains on the railway line on August 8-9 – not for use by the public – then special services on August 15 and 16 for working members and guests.

He said: “Passenger services will return from August 19 and all tickets must be pre-booked. Trains will operate between Oxenhope and Keighley and will not stop at any other station.

“A vintage bus will operate between Ingrow, Haworth and the Bronte Parsonage to Oxenhope to dovetail in with these services.”