Poignant moment Keighley and Worth Valley Railway steam locomotive makes final journey after safety certificate expires

The Midland Railway 4F engine's accreditation for safe running ran out on New Year's Eve, and it will now enter storage until the heritage line can secure funds for repairs to make it railworthy again.

The locomotive, 43924, has spent the past decade running on the line and was built in 1920 for the Midland Railway, who originally operated the branch between Keighley and Oxenhope which is now part of the preserved route.

It spent its last day of service working one of the Mince Pie Special trains and has been described as a 'popular and regular performer' by the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway.

The engine, nicknamed Big Goods, was retired from the mainline in 1965 and saved from scrap in 1970. It initially ran on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway until 1987, when a repair backlog meant it had to be taken out of use and given a major overhaul which ended up taking nearly 25 years. It did not return to service until 2011.

Photographer Robert Batty, who captured its final journey on December 31, said: "The railway can only overhaul so many engines at a time, and is currently working on two other engines. They will have a plan as to which engines it will put through an overhaul, and at the moment, there's no mention of bringing 43924 through an overhaul. It's one of those never say never moments, but it could be a good few years down the line when it next turns its wheel. It waited 23 years between its last two tickets."