On 20th July 2019, a trainload of rail enthusiasts got the opportunity to travel to Stocksbridge by train whilst us locals are stuck with using the bus. Unfortunately for us locals if we wished to join this excursion, the nearest point we could have board or alighted was Wakefield Westgate and with all Standard Tickets sold a First Class Ticket was no less than £144.00!
The charter train was run for a good cause. Named the Luca Pelluzo Express the train aimed to raise funds for Martin House Hospice, Boston Spa, who provide family-led care for children with life shortening conditions.
The tour, organised by the Branch Line Society, who specialise in rail tours along freight lines and on sections of track that normal passenger trains don’t run on started at Lancaster and picked up at various stations through to Wakefield.