THE first train to start in Skipton and cross into East Lancashire at Colne for 38 years is due to leave as a Christmas Special next month – but it will have take a huge roundabout route to the east to get there!

Before the line closed, the 11 mile trip from Skipton to Colne took 15 minutes. Now, because it has to go east to Leeds before turning west again, the journey will be 150 miles. And that’s the whole point of the exercise!

The Christmas special, to the giant Boundary Mill factory complex at Colne, is being organised by the South East Lancs Rail Action Partnership, which has been campaigning for years to have the original line – which it claims was closed down by mistake – re-opened.

And the Christmas special on its route from Skipton shows just how ridiculous the closure of this vital stretch of line was. The route and times are:

The train journey takes place on Sunday 7 December and will be calling at the following stations:

• Depart from Skipton at 09.30, calling at Keighley 09.43, Bingley 09.47, Shipley 09.52, Leeds 10.13, Bradford Interchange 10.32, Halifax 10.45 and Hebden Bridge 10.59 arriving at Colne at 12.07, returning at 16.30.
• The cost of the tickets, starting from any station, are £17.50 (£12 for under 16s only) and are only available in advance from SELRAP. Booking forms can be printed from SELRAP’s website - www.selrap.org.uk