Passing through enchanting Yorkshire Dales scenery and located within easy reach of Bolton Abbey, Skipton and its historic castle, the five-mile long Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway is a popular all-year-round attraction.

It holds many events specifically aimed at the family market, such as Halloween and Santa Specials, while for the enthusiast it has one of the finest collections of ex-industrial tank locomotives in Britain. Working examples operate all the regular steam services, though on occasions ex British Railways locomotives have visited – enabling the railway to recreate authentic branch line trains as well. Added to this are special event weekends covering the 1940s, vintage train services and goods train operations.

The line today is a restored section of the original Midland Railway route that linked Skipton with Ilkley through Embsay, Bolton Abbey and Addingham.

With a selection of photographs from the Yorkshire Dales Railway Museum Trust Archive supplementing the author’s own portfolio, this book encompasses the original Skipton to Ilkley Railway, the formative years of the preservation society and its fund-raising activities, its historic locomotives and rolling stock, the stunning dales scenery through which the line passes and the many events and attractions held on and around the railway.

The Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway is enjoyed by thousands of families and enthusiasts all year round and this book is a celebration of both its unique heritage and its ongoing success.