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A regular service of electric trains runs along the Aire valley route from Leeds to Skipton. Just a few miles out of Leeds, close by the ruins of Kirkstall Abbey, is another much smaller railway. Essentially the results of the efforts of one man and his family, the Abbey Light Railway is a short 2' gauge line, with an interesting and varied selection of ex-industrial diesels - oh, and a solitary battery-electric. I had been aware of its existence for some time - "must have a look one of these days". Today was one of "these days". (it started out more like one of those days - I'd forgotten the OS map, and it was the Leeds marathon - lots of road closures, and none of the road signs seemed to mention Kirkstall....)

A service of trains operates at frequent intervals (there is no formal timetable) from about 2pm on Sundays and bank holidays, along the wooded route from Bridge Road, where the depot is located, to Kirkstall Abbey station. Our train consisted of three covered coaches and a locomotive at each end - "Odin", a Motor Rail (5859 of 1934, ex Arnolds, Leighton Buzzard) and a Ruston - RH 235654 of 1946 (ex Goxhill tileries, near the Humber Bridge). Other locomotives, in varying states of repair, include the products of Hunslet, Hudson, Lister, Baguley (the oldest locomotives on the line), Muir Hill and Orenstein and Koppel - quite a collection! An "old friend" was "Druid", MR 8644 of 1941, much rebuilt from the state in which I snapped it while at Hemingbrough Brickworks near Selby.

It doesn't take long to "grice" this most attractive and friendly little line, but it deserves support - if you're in the area, do it!

Links:

• Abbey Light Railway official website

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