The Rugby league conference started in 1997 with a handful of teams playing throughout the summer, based in non-traditional Rugby League areas. The RL conference has grown over the decade, and now boasts nearly a 100 teams throughout the UK.

For whatever reason the City of York has been slow in recognising there was a place for a conference side to operate here, but it dawned on a few enthusiasts that this City is ideal for summer Rugby, there brought together a committee. The committee and coaching staff were assembled from such great clubs as the Punch Bowl, INL, Acorn and Crigglestone. The next most important duties to perform before a single player could be signed, was to establish a base, raise funds and give the club a name.

The name of the club had to have a connection with the City of York, not necessarily of its rich medieval, Viking or Roman history but from its Industrial heritage. The Railways sprung to mind, everybody knows York is probably the biggest Railway City in the country, and some may say the old carriage works produced more players than rolling stock! What is true is that one of the biggest steam depots in the UK was based here and was called ‘York Locomotive’, there was also the Railway Institute a club created for the Railway workers. The name had been found. York Locomotive, changing the ‘C’ to a ‘K’ similar to that of Lokomotive Moscow, the Russian RL team and because it looked funkier.
So York Lokomotive it is and ‘Loko’s’ we are!

The coincidence of the name leads us to the gates of the York Railway Institute, having a sports ground, we entered into negotiations. The Institute were very welcoming and appreciated that Rugby League would make an excellent addition to their already impressive sports portfolio. The facilities are due for a major refurbishment programme to begin shortly, which will make the RI one of the best venues in North Yorkshire.

So the engine is running, the fire is stoked, the wheels are in motion, now its over to the players. Full steam ahead!