New film commissioned and special new ale brewed to mark the 175th anniversary of Dewsbury Railway Station

The celebration, taking place on Saturday, September 9, is part of Heritage Open Days, which is England’s largest grass roots heritage festival.

The special event for the 175th anniversary will see the premiere of a newly commissioned film titled “Arrivals”, starring people from Dewsbury and Batley, to be shown in the pub’s beer garden, as well as a specially brewed ale, called DTS 175, created by the West Riding team.

To mark the anniversary, the film will premiere at the event, taking place in and around the train station and pub, along with other short films, made previously by Creative Scene, about life in the railway station and on the trains.

The films will screen on the hour from 11am and no tickets are needed, just turn up for the free screenings in the pub's outdoor area.

“Arrivals” stars people from Dewsbury and Batley who have a link or memory with the train station.

There are stories from Eunice Long, 72, of Dewsbury, who arrived on the train from Ireland in 1966 as a 15-year-old and Iqra Rafiq, 26, of Batley, whose grandfather came from Pakistan in the 1960s to work, initially as a shoemaker and then in the mills.

Audiences will also hear from Ilyas Hans, 46, of Batley, who is a familiar face behind the counter at Dewsbury Railway Station.

Mike Roebuck, 69, a regular at the West Riding, and local historian Stuart Hartley, 77, complete the line-up.

The 15-minute film was made by Liversedge photographer and film-maker Nathan Towers, of Towers Film and Media.

“Riding West Riding” will also be shown and is a short film by Alistair I Macdonald and Kevin Threlfall, of Eastergate Films, and used the familiar and not so familiar sights and sounds of the railway, to tell its story.

Without narration, it features stations including Dewsbury, Mirfield, Huddersfield and Leeds.

"Train of Thought” is a short film by Tim Copsey, Andy Wicks and Kay Douglas, of Mediapreview, which gathers the thoughts and personal stories of passengers and staff who work on the trains and stations in Dewsbury and Huddersfield.

They tell honest and humorous tales about their journeys and jobs, and what they love and hate about their experiences.

Creative Scene, an Arts Council funded project which brings art and culture to Kirklees, will bring the films, a Rogues Gallery digital transformation booth creating curious portraits in the station shop area and performance throughout the day from street theatre company The Carpeters, who will arrive in town with their roll of red carpet to surprise the public in a chaotic and entertaining way.

Dewsbury Community Choir will also perform.

Nancy Barrett, creative director of Creative Scene, said: "Arrivals celebrates the diverse communities that have made Dewsbury their home throughout the years, and their journeys from near and far.

"We are delighted to be involved in this event to celebrate Dewsbury's rail heritage and have really discovered lots about how vital the railway is and has been to the town over the years.

“No matter how people came to call Dewsbury home, its heritage and people have shaped a world of opportunity.”

Jackie Ramsay, of the Friends of Dewsbury Train Station group which has joined forces with Creative Scene and The West Riding Pub for the anniversary celebrations, said: “The station, which opened in September 1848, was also called Wellington Street Station from 1924-1969.

“It is brilliant to be celebrating this landmark anniversary in such a way.”

Sarah Barnes, director of the West Riding pub, added: “We are delighted to celebrate this special anniversary and be part of Heritage Open Day.

"The DTS (Dewsbury Train Station) 175 beer has been brewed by our operations manager Barry Shaw and West Riding manager Danny Munt, with Horsforth Brewery. It will be available during September in The West Riding.

“It is an easy drinking 3.9 per cent pale ale with tropical hoppy notes and a gentle bitter finish.”