ALL ABOARD ON BLUE PLAQUE DAY.

A bit of cheating now, heres the reprint from the local rag about the unveiling of The Station Blue Plaque;


ONE of the busiest buildings in Ilkley has become the latest to be honoured with a plaque marking it out as a significant feature of the town's heritage.

Chairman of West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority, Councillor Chris Greaves (Con, Wharfedale), had the honour of unveiling the heritage blue plaque on the front wall of Station Plaza in a ceremony on Monday.

The blue plaque scheme was set up by Ilkley Civic Society to give recognition to landmarks which have played an important part in the history and development of Ilkley.

The first plaque was unveiled at Ilkley Town Hall in 2004 by television presenter Alan Titchmarsh.

Coun Greaves told the gathering at Monday's ceremony that the TV gardener could do everything he cannot - including gardening, writing, television presenting and being a sex symbol - but he was pleased to join an esteemed elite in unveiling an Ilkley blue plaque.

"By providing local people with links to Bradford and Leeds, and in the past also to Otley and Skipton, as well as destinations beyond, Ilkley Station has definitely had a role to play in shaping the town since it opened in 1865," said Coun Greaves.

He recalled one of his own earliest memories, of passing through Ilkley Station and across the rail bridge which once towered over Brook Street, on an interminable' rail journey from Guiseley to Oban.

Coun Greaves also recalled efforts of campaigners who fought to keep the Wharfedale Line open in the 1960s. Today, Ilkley Station is used by over a million passengers a year.

It is a Grade 2 Listed Building. Over the past year it has seen improvements including the re-glazing of the platform canopies and installation of new lighting.

The date of the ceremony also marked the 40th anniversary of the end of steam power on the British Rail network.

Among those who attended the were representatives of Network Rail and Wharfedale Rail Users' Group, plus local railway historian, Bill Smith.

Known to many readers as FW Smith, he has written two books on the history of local railway lines.

He recalls visiting the station many years ago as a seven-year-old boy, spotting steam engines working on the line. But he believes the regularity of daytime services has improved greatly today.