The Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway

Located within easy reach of Bolton Abbey, Skipton and its historic castle and passing through enchanting Yorkshire Dale's scenery, the-5-mile long Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway is a popular attraction with tourists, operating all year round and holding many events specifically aimed at the family market such as Halloween and Santa Specials.

For the enthusiast the railway has one of the finest collections of ex-industrial tank locomotives and working examples operate all the regular steam services, though on occasions ex-British Railways locomotives have visited enabling the railway to re-create authentic branch line trains as well. Added to this are their 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 introduces us to 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 that combine to create an atmosphere of the rural branch line enjoyed by thousands of families and enthusiasts all year round.