The Trust owns a unique collection of steam locomotives and carriages previously owned by the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway. In 1964 a group of railway enthusiasts in Rochdale formed the L&Y Saddletanks Fund and within 10 years acquired 3 locomotives and a carriage. In 1987 the ‘Fund’ changed its identity and in 1991 the Trust was approved as a charity to protect the collection. Since then 4 more carriages have been added to the collection, of which all but 1 are operational.