And this wur a fact this wur th’ railway they saw

And this wur a fact this wur th’ railway they saw, And at th’ first sight o’ th’ spectre they all stood in awe, For it wur smashed all i’ pieces ashamed to be seen As tho’ it hed passed thro’ a sausidge masheen; Wi horror some fainted, while others took fits, Aud these at cud stand it wur piking up t’bits.

But after a while when they all becum calm, They gathered together like bees in a swarm, Resolvd to pick up all fragments and th’ wood, And splice ’em together as weel as they cud, Hasumever thay started a putting it streyt, And wi’ spelking and braying they soon made it reight.

Six months nah elapsed and th’ gert job wur done, And th’ next thing to argue wur wen it sud run, So they sent Joe a-Stirks arahnd wi’ his bell, And gave him strict orders at he wur to tell, At th’ inspector hed been and examined it thro’, And cum to th’ conclushun et th’ railway wud do.

So to wark wi a vengance, the bellman set to, To warn up a meeting to meet a’th’ Black Bull, It wud dun yo all good to hear Joey shaht, For they heard him distinctly for miles all abaht, And i’ less ner ten minits, they flockt in so fast, While Jonny Broth horses they couldn’t get past.

So they fram’d on wi’ th’ meeting an’ th’ chairman spak first, And tell’d ’em at th’ railway wur finish’d at last; And declared at th’ inspector hed passed when he com, Both viaducts and bridges as sahnd as a plum; As for sinkin agean they wud do nowt et sort, For they sailed thro’ the arches i’ Marriner’s boat.

So he hoped i’ this meeting they all wud agree, And settle when th’ oppening o’ th’ railway sud be. He thout for his part tho’ he nobbut wur won, At first day o’ April wur fittest to run, Wen a voice sed, sit dahn or I’ll pelt thee wi’ spooils, Duz ta think at wur bahn to be April fooils?

Then up on to th’ platform jump’d Red Dicky Brook, Along wi’ his uncle Black Tom at Dyke Nook, Determined to sattle and bring things arahnd, As th’ railway wur finished both proper and sahnd; So they pitched on a day—this wur April the fourth. To oppen th’ grand railway fra Lunden to Haworth.

It wur carried as usual, bi’ th’ showing o’ hands, Amidst grate rejoicing and playing o’ bands, Both oud men and wimen hed a smile on their face, For all wur dead certain this wur bahn to tak place, So they fled to their homes like bees to a hive, Impashent and anshus for th’ day to arrive.

Hasumever th’ day com at wur menshun’d before, And folk wur all flocking fra mahntan and th’ moor, And little they thout when they set off that morn, Anuther disaster would laff ’em to scorn; For Joe Stirk wur sent out to tell ’em to stop, For poor Haworth Railway hed gotten i’ pop.

Nah this wur a damper and th’ biggest i’ th’ lot, And th’ folks they declared this wur a Keighley plot, But one Jack o’ Ludges sed he’d stop ’em their prate, He’d learn ’em i’ Keighley to insinuate, They’st hev no excurshuns for nout but their lip, And Shipley and Bradford should hev the first trip.

He sed he’d been quiet, but he’d nah interfere, He’d wauk up to Derby and tell em up there, Hah they hed been skitted, sin first they begun, And nah when this wur finished they wurnt to run; But hah he went on I never did hear, But won thing I’m certain he must a been there.

For th’ tenth day of April bills wur put aht, That th’ railway wud oppen withaht any daht, And a famous excurshun fra Bradford wod run, And call at all stashuns wi’ th’ excepshun o’ won; For nowt aht o’ Keighley to Haworth sud ride, For that day all th’ luggage wur left o’ won side.

Scarce Keighley crookt-legg’d ens heard o’ the news, And wur just bahn to give ’em the gratest abuse, When a order cum aht fra sum unknawn source, That Keighley crookt-legg’d ens cud go up of course, They thowt it wur best, and wud cause the least bother, For wun sud be welcum as weel as anuther.

Hasumever their hopes hes not been i’ vain, For the day’s arrived and yonder’s the train, And thahsands o’ folks is flocking to th’ spot, The gent fra his hall, the peasant fra his cot, For all are determined as th’ weather is fine, To hev an’ excurshun up th’ Worth Valley Line.

They land up i’ Haworth, and sports et is seen, Wur nivver yet equalled it reign o’ the Queen, Such processhuns wi music yo ne’er saw the like, They wur bands fra all nashuns excepting Black Dyke, And Sham o’ Blue Bills sed he’d kick up a shine, For nah they hed oppen’d the Worth Valley Line.

There wur Jim o’th’ Damems, and Will o’ th’ Gooise Coit, And the lads at wur in that puddin exploit, There wur Ned dahn fra Oakworth, and Ike fra Loin Ends, Along wi their aristocratical friends, They repair’d to Black Bull, of sahnd puddin to dine, That day at they oppen’d the Worth Valley Line.

I’ all nooks and corners and chimla tops, Wur floating gert banners wi’ mighty big props, And stamp’d on each flag i’ figures so nice, Sum an’ inscripshun and sum a device; But th’ nicest i’th’ lump at swung on a band, Wur welcum to Haworth fra ivvery land.

Yor welcum, yor welcum, all men upon earth, Yor welcum to the valley of Worth, Fra th’ Humber to th’ Mersey, fra th’ Thames dahn to th’ Tyne, Yor welcum to travel the Worth Valley Line.