It is really disappointing to have to open with bad news, but so much upset has been caused by the theft of a number of benches from Ingrow Station (widely reported by the Keighley News) it would be remiss of me not to mention of it.

So much volunteer effort goes in to the upkeep of all the stations by members of our team of around 500 volunteers, who are commended by visitors commenting on the fantastic condition of all of the stations.

To have someone steal all that hard work is all the more galling, plus there is significant cost of replacing the artefacts.

Having said that, the response from the community, through the printed, TV and social media, has been very encouraging, so our fingers are crossed that the police find the culprits and avoid anyone else having to go through the upset that we have endured.

On much more positive news, we held a very successful Steam Spectacular weekend and are looking forward to a busy summer.

This will include our very popular formal dining and Haworth Haddock fish and chip trains (details and dates at kwvr.co.uk), and of course Le Grand Depart of the Tour de France which passes through Keighley, Ingrow, Haworth and Oxenhope in July.

We are expecting to be the main transport provider up the valley because of all the road closures. See our website for the latest details of our plans for the day itself.

We are also looking forward to cementing our partnership with the Brontë Parsonage as we extend our very popular vintage bus service from weekdays during the main school holidays to a number of summer Sundays starting in June.

This will provide a much-requested heritage link between the station at Haworth and the Parsonage, which we hope will encourage visitors to enjoy both attractions as well as the shops and eateries on Main Street.

In the meantime, I do hope you visit one of the most iconic heritage railways in the country that is right on your doorstep. If you live in BD20/21/22 you can enjoy a significant discount through a Local Residents’ Railcard, making a journey even better value.