Tour de Yorkshire

SUNDAY

I headed down to The  Piece Hall in Halifax for 9:30 am to  have a nosey as the fabulous building was the start location for Stage 4 of the Tour de Yorkshire (TDY) which was scheduled for 12:35 pm.  Even three hours before the start time the building was starting to fill up, the tour caravan was forming in the street outside, the sponsors were handing out freebies, people were being interviewed and photographed and policemen were on the roof with guns and binoculars.

Not wanting to hang around for three hours, I headed out along the TDY route to the Worth Valley as the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway were holding their Spring Gala.

I arrived at Oxenhope Station just in time to jump on the  prototype High Speed Train (see extra). In 1973 this unique train broke the world speed record for a diesel locomotive reaching a speed of 143.2 mph. Not only did I get the opportunity to ride on the train, I also had a first-class breakfast in the Pullman dining car. Very civilised.

After a couple of hours messing around on the railway, I took the steam train to Oakworth in order to see the TDY riders and accompanying cavalcade pass through the village (main blip).

Another hour or so on the trains and a look round the Ingrow railway museum before heading home via Hebden Bridge.

A great day to myself. Now where can I go tomorrow?