Picture 1: Five people were killed and many were injured in this train crash at Esholt in 1892.

The photograph, from the archive of Aireborough Historical Society, shows a locomotive belonging to the Midland Railway lying on its side after colliding with the rear of a passenger train at Esholt Junction.

The crash happened between the Leeds to Ilkley train and the Ilkley to Bradford train.

Archivist Carlo Harrison said: “Two lines to Leeds and Bradford converge at the Junction, each line with its own signals (on the left).

“The Leeds signal was hidden by foliage and the engine driver mistakenly thought the Bradford signal was for him and continued down the line instead of waiting and crashed into the Ilkley to Bradford train.”

Picture 2: No details remain with this photograph from the Ilkley Gazette archives, but there is a tantalising clue to its location on the roof of the car. The letters CE, which appear to be at the end of a word, are reflected on the roof of the car. Perhaps it was taken outside a police station.

  • If you know anything about these pictures or the people in them, then please get in touch. Either e-mail amanda.greaves@ gazetteandobserver.co.uk, or write to Across the Years, 8 Wells Road, Ilkley, LS29 9JD