Heritage railway set to host new 1940s weekend

A popular vintage festival is set to be relaunched with new organisers after it was cancelled last year.

The Haworth 1940s Weekend has traditionally featured period costumes and re-enactments, military vehicles, live music and shop window displays in the village near Bradford.

The original event had been running for more than 30 years until the organising committee stepped down in 2023. New organisers took over before 2024's cancellation.

This year the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway (KWVR), which has a station in Haworth, has confirmed it will host a 1940s weekend on 17-18 May.

A spokesperson for the heritage line said: "This brand-new event is a celebration of wartime Britain, completely independent from any previous 1940s events in the surrounding villages."

Past 1940s weekends were held in Haworth, with local businesses taking part until the event outgrew the village's capacity.

The original organisers resigned after a review by Bradford Council and West Yorkshire Police highlighted issues of disorder, poor crowd control and bad traffic management.

Local couple Matthew and Jamila Ware took over the running of the festival in 2024, but the event did not go ahead. Instead, local businesses held smaller events around the village.

The KWVR's event will be smaller in scale and take place along the five-mile line.

Noel Hartley, business and operations manager of KWVR, said: "It was felt the time had come because the railway has always stood back a little bit from the 1940s weekend.

"But it's been an aspiration to have a 1940s weekend based on the railway. It seemed that the time was right for the railway to step in and create a new 1940s weekend."

Five stations will be transformed into an immersive history experience, with interactive displays and live performances across two days.

Local businesses will also be getting involved by decorating their shop windows with themed displays.

Mr Hartley said attendees were still able to visit Haworth, but as the focus of the festival would be the railway, there would be much less pressure on the village.

He said: "Anyone who comes in costume will be visiting Haworth village and giving the street that atmosphere that's going to be spread over the railway."

Mr Hartley added the improved layout and increased parking options were expected to make this year's event run more smoothly.

Tickets are on sale, with a discount available for those dressed in period clothing.

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