East Lancashire Railway

The East Lancashire Railway is a 12 1⁄2-mile (20 km) heritage railway line in north-west England which runs between Heywood in Greater Manchester and Rawtenstall in Lancashire. There are intermediate stations at Bury Bolton Street, Burrs Country Park, Summerseat and Ramsbottom (all in Greater Manchester), with the line crossing the border into Rossendale serving Irwell Vale and Rawtenstall. Prior to closure the line terminated at Bacup.

This article is about the heritage East Lancashire Railway. For the 19th-century company, see East Lancashire Railway (1844–1859). For the Nelson-Colne line, see East Lancashire line.

East Lancashire Railway
60103 Flying Scotsman at Blackburn Road bridge, Ewood Bridge, heading towards Rawtenstall
LocaleNorth west England
TerminusRawtenstall and
Heywood
ConnectionsNetwork Rail (east of Heywood,via Castleton)
Manchester Metrolink (south of Bury)
Commercial operations
NameEast Lancashire Railway
Built byEast Lancashire Railway (1844–1859)
Original gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Preserved operations
Operated byEast Lancashire Light Railway Company (ELLR Co.)
Stations7
Length12 miles 45 chains (20.2 km)
Preserved gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Commercial history
Opened1846
Closed17 March 1980
Preservation history
31 March 1986Granted Light Railway Order (for public service)
25 July 1987Re-opens and public service begins
27 April 1991Extension to Rawtenstall
6 September 2003Extension to Heywood
13 October 2016New halt opened at Burrs Country Park
HeadquartersBury Bolton Street

Overview

Passenger services between Bury and Rawtenstall were withdrawn by British Rail on 3 June 1972. Coal services to Rawtenstall ended in 1980 and formal closure of the line followed in 1982.[1] The East Lancashire Railway Trust reopened the line on 25 July 1987.[2] The initial service operated between Bury and Ramsbottom, via Summerseat. In 1991, the service was extended northwards from Ramsbottom to reach Rawtenstall, via Irwell Vale.[3]

However, two original stations on the line, closed to passengers by BR in 1972, have not reopened. They are 'Ewood Bridge & Edenfield' and the former station serving the line to Rawtenstall, 'Stubbins'.

Rawtenstall is the practical northern limit of the line, as the formation on towards Bacup has been lost immediately north of the station.

Freight train passing over the "Ski Jump" bridge

In September 2003, an eastbound extension from Bury to Heywood was re-opened. To reach Heywood, the extension had to cross over the Manchester Metrolink line to Bury, at the site of the former Bury Knowsley Street station. This necessitated the construction of a new intersection bridge, with steeply graded approaches of 1 in 36 and 1 in 41 nicknamed The Ski Jump.

On 13 October 2016, the new Burrs Country Park station was officially opened by the Mayor of Bury, where locomotive no. 4472 Flying Scotsman pulled the first train to stop at the station with a bagpipe rendition of 'Scotland the Brave' signalling its arrival.[4]

The remainder of the extension includes a long section at 1 in 85, rising towards Heywood, as the preserved railway line climbs out of the Irwell valley.

The heritage line is now just over 12 miles (19 km) long and has a mainline connection with the national railway network at Castleton, just beyond Heywood. The ELR is planning to extend the running line to Castleton in the future, with a new cross platform interchange being the preferred option.[5]

Options for providing an interchange station at Castleton between East Lancashire Railway and National Rail services are currently being explored. Plans for the new station are supported by Rochdale Borough Council, which hopes to fund it by adjacent land development.[6] A rail connection with the Metrolink line also exists, just south of Bury, at Buckley Wells. This was formerly the connection to the Electric Car Shops, where the Class 504 EMU sets were maintained, and was created when BR services were diverted to Bury Interchange in 1980.

The railway is open every weekend of the year, holding a number of themed events and galas throughout the year, which include steam and diesel events, and also offers driver experience courses. The Day out with Thomas events made a return to the railway after a two-year absence, following fresh negotiations, having previously been unable to reach an agreement with HIT Entertainment, the owners of the Thomas brand.[7] While Thomas was absent, the ELR operated Family Engines Big Day Out events featuring alternative engines with faces, such as Jimmy the Jinty.

The railway is run by volunteer members from the East Lancashire Railway Preservation Society (ELRPS). The railway is well known for its collection of diesel locomotives which reside on the railway, along with over 140 carriages, wagons and utility vehicles. Although the ELR does offer a local residents' discount card, and many residents do use the trains at weekends, it does not claim to offer a true commuter service either in levels of services or fares.

In the 1990s, the railway was featured in the 1991 film Let Him Have It and in the finale of ITV's comedy series The Grimleys, named The Grimley Curse set in 1978. In 2007, during the finale of BBC One's award-winning drama series Life on Mars, set in 1973, a class 47 was used for scenes of an armed robbery at Brooksbottom Tunnel.

The railway also featured in an episode of Coronation Street, transmitted on August Bank Holiday 2010, when Hayley and Roy Cropper travelled to their wedding aboard an ELR train of Mark 1 coaches hauled by LMS "Black 5" No. 44871, which carried 45407's Lancashire Fusilier nameplates for the occasion. The line also starred in the BBC television film Eric and Ernie, aired on New Year's Day 2011, about the early career of the British comedy act Morecambe and Wise. Bury Bolton Street station was featured, along with a train of Mark 1 coaches hauled by LMS "Black 5" No. 44871. In 2014, the railway was featured in a week of episodes of Hollyoaks (broadcast 3–7 November) which featured a crash involving BR Class 14 no. D9531 "Ernest".

In October 2014, Ramsbottom Station and the adjacent level crossing on Bridge Street was featured in the 2017 movie A Monster Calls, which was the scene for an emotional peak in the movie, starring Sigourney Weaver in a Volvo estate car waiting for a BR DMU, in Rail Blue livery, to pass through the crossing.[8]

In 2019, the CityMetric website published a "fantasy" tram link expansion proposal to create an orbital extension to the Manchester Metrolink tram system, which would include part of the current East Lancashire Railway route between Bury and Heywood.[9]

In January 2019, Campaign for Better Transport released a report identifying the line which was listed as Priority 2 for reopening. Priority 2 is for those lines which require further development or a change in circumstances (such as housing developments).[10]

Railway stations of the ELR
Irwell Vale Railway station signage
East Lancashire Railway
Rawtenstall
 Ewood Bridge and Edenfield
 Irwell Vale
 Stubbins
Rossendale lines to Accrington
 Ramsbottom
Nuttall Tunnel (
115 yd
105 m
)
Brooksbottom Tunnel (
423 yd
387 m
)
Brooksbottom Viaduct
 Summerseat
 Burrs Country Park
Bury North Tunnel (
80 yd
73 m
)
 Bury Bolton Street
Bury South Junction
Buckley Wells
Bury Knowsley Street
Bury Interchange
Roch Viaduct
Viaduct over M66
 Broadfield
 Heywood

Locomotives and multiple units

The ELR is home to a mixed collection of small to large designs, some of which are main-line certified. These often visit other heritage lines or can be found operating mainline excursions, especially during the summer season (March–October).

Operational
Number & Name Type Photograph Livery Notes
32 Gothenburg Manchester Ship Canal 0-6-0T Thomas The Tank Engine Blue Built in 1903 at Hudswell Clarke.
34092 City of Wells SR West Country Class 4-6-2 BR Lined Green, Early Emblem Built in 1949 at Brighton Works. Formerly based at the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway.
52322 L&YR Class 27 0-6-0 BR Unlined Black, Early Emblem Built in 1896 at Horwich Works.
80080 BR Standard Class 4 2-6-4T BR Lined Black, Late Emblem Built in 1954 at Brighton Works. Returned from the Butterley following a boiler overhaul in 2019.
80097 BR Standard Class 4 2-6-4T BR Lined Black, Early Emblem Built in 1954 at Brighton Works. Recently undergone restoration from scrapyard condition, running in commenced in October 2018 and returned to service for the first time in preservation in early 2019.[11]

Visitors
Number & Name Type Photograph Livery Notes
51456 (752) L&YR Class 23 0-6-0ST BR Unlined Black, Early Emblem Built in 1881. Recently returned to service following overhaul at Baron Street Works for its owners the "Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Trust".[12] Presently outshopped in BR unlined black with the early BR crest and the BR number 51456. Although authentic for the class no 752 never wore it or carried the number 51456 as it was sold from the LMS in 1937 to what would later become the national coal board. Usually based at the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway
No 2890 "Douglas" Hunslet 0-6-0 BR Unlined Black, Early Emblem Built in 1943. Douglas is a converted tender locomotive from a standard Hunslet Austerity. Returned to service in September 2017.

Operational but away from the ELR
Number & Name Type Photograph Livery Notes
1370 May Peckett and Sons 0-4-0ST Lined Green Built in 1915. Withdrawn for overhaul September 2019 and sent to Old Hall Farm, Cumbria. Returned to service in December 2019 following its contract overhaul. Currently on loan to Beamish Museum.
44871 LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 4-6-0 BR Lined Black, Early Emblem Built in 1945 at Crewe Works. Passed for main line running. Presently away from the railway working excursion trains in the south of the UK.
45212 LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 BR Lined Black, Late Crest Built in 1935 at Armstrong Whitworth. Passed for main line running, usually based at the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway but on hire to Ian Riley for mainline use following overhaul. Presently located at Fort William, Highland operating West Coast Railways "Jacobite" trains.
45407 The Lancashire Fusilier LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 BR Lined Black, Early Emblem Built in 1937 at Armstrong Whitworth. Passed for main line running. Presently located at Fort William, Highland operating West Coast Railways "Jacobite" trains.

Locomotives out of action
Number & Name Type Photograph Livery Notes
3855 GWR 2884 Class 2-8-0 Built in 1942. Undergoing restoration from scrapyard condition.
7229 GWR 7200 Class 2-8-2T Built in 1935. Undergoing restoration from scrapyard condition inside Baron Street works.
13065 LMS Class 5P/4F "Crab" 2-6-0 Built in 1927 at Crewe Works. Out of service for 2018, due to cracked flue tubes, and replacement of all the flue tubes needs to be undertaken alongside replacing the cracked ones. The engine's 10-year overhaul is to be undertaken in a bid to allow the ELR to have an operational engine rather than having 34092 out of traffic at the same time as 13065 in the future.[13][14]
35009 Shaw Savill SR Merchant Navy 4-6-2 Built in 1942. Undergoing restoration from scrapyard condition.
46428 LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0 Built in 1948. Undergoing restoration from scrapyard condition.
47298 LMS Class 3F "Jinty" 0-6-0T Built in 1924. Under Overhaul.
47324 LMS Class 3F "Jinty" 0-6-0T BR Unlined black, TBC Built in 1926. Under Overhaul.

Locos in store/static display
Number & Name Type Photograph Notes
1 Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST Built in 1927. On display in Bury Transport Museum.

Diesel

The ELR is home to one of the largest preserved diesel fleets on a UK heritage railway. Many locomotives are owned by private individuals or an owning group, which co-operate as the ELR Diesel Group.

Operational diesel locomotives
Number & Name Type Photograph Livery Notes
4002 'Arundel Castle' MSC Hudswell Clarke M.S.C. Green Built in 1958
9009 Motorail Simplex 4WDM
D2956 (01003) BR Class 01 BR Black
D2062 (03062) BR Class 03 BR Green
08164 (D3232) 'Prudence' BR Class 08 BR Blue
13594 (08479) BR Black Baron Street works pilot
09024 BR Class 09 BR Departmental Grey
D9531 'Ernest' BR Class 14 BR Two-tone Green
D5054 (24054) 'Phil Southern' BR Class 24 BR Green Built in 1959
33109 (D6525) 'Captain Bill Smith RNR' BR Class 33 BR Engineers Grey Built in 1960
D7076 BR Class 35 BR Blue Built in 1962
37109 (D6809) BR Class 37 BR Blue Built in 1963
40106 (D306) 'Atlantic Conveyor' BR Class 40 BR Green Built in 1960, (Owned by the Class 40 Preservation Society)
40135 (D335 & 97406) BR Blue
345 (40145) Built in 1961, (Owned by the Class 40 Preservation Society). Mainline certified
D832 'Onslaught' BR Class 42 BR Green
45108 BR Class 45 BR Blue Built in 1961, on loan from the Midland Railway - Butterley
D1501 (47402) BR Class 47 BR Two-tone Green Built in 1962
50015 (D415) 'Valiant' BR Class 50 BR Large Logo Blue Built in 1968
56006 BR Class 56 BR Blue Built in 1976, (on loan from the Class 56 Group)

Operational DMUs

Operational, but away from the ELR
    • BR Class 37 No. 37418 (D6971), BR Large Logo Blue (minus name and numbers). Built in 1965. (On hire to Colas Rail)

Diesel locomotives out of action
  • Diesel locomotives and DMUs undergoing light work, overhaul or restoration
    • F. C. Hibberd 'Planet' 3438 (Under restoration at Castlecroft)
    • BR Class 07 No. 07013 (Non-Operational since roughly 2002/03. Full overhaul to commence in due course)
    • BR Class 08 No. 08944 (Stopped, pending engine overhaul, owned by the Harry Needle Railroad Company)
    • BR Class 14 No. D9502 'Kerys', BR Green. Built in 1964. (Undergoing long-term restoration)
    • BR Class 15 No. D8233 (Restoration in progress in Baron Street works) Class 15 Preservation Society
    • BR Class 28 No. D5705 (Under restoration with the C15PS) Class 15 Preservation Society
    • BR Class 33 No. 6536 (33117) (under overhaul in Buckley Wells shed)
    • BR Class 37 No. 37679, Transrail (Undergoing overhaul at Ian Riley's Workshops, Baron Street)
    • BR Class 45 No. 45135 (D99) '3rd Carabinier', BR Blue. Built in 1961. (Undergoing major overhaul in Buckley Wells shed)
    • BR Class 52 No. D1041 'Western Prince', BR Blue. Built in 1962. (Bodywork replacement & full rewire, Castlecroft shed)
  • Stored diesel locomotives

DMUs out of action
    • BR Class 207 unit 1305 (207202) 60130+70549+60904 (Bodywork overhaul of 60130 and 60904, Buckley Wells shed)
    • NIR Class 80 No. 99 (bought as spares for 1305, now converted to standard gauge at Buckley Wells)

Electric
  • Electric multiple units
    • BR Class 504 unit 65451+77172 (stored at Buckley Wells, being restored as hauled coaching stock).

Former residents on the ELR

Note that the locations given may not be current as locomotives move between railways from time to time.

Steam
Number & Name Type Photograph Notes
132 Sapper WD Austerity 0-6-0ST Built in 1944. Currently operational at the Avon Valley Railway.
75008 Swiftsure Built in 1943. Currently operational at the Mid-Norfolk Railway.
7828 Odney Manor GWR 7800 Manor Class 4-6-0 Built in 1950. Departed from the ELR in the 1990s for the West Somerset Railway, it is operational following boiler and firebox repairs at Riley and Sons workshop in Bury.
34073 249 Squadron SR Battle of Britain Class 4-6-2 Built in 1945. Awaiting restoration from scrapyard condition at Carnforth MPD.
35022 Holland America Line SR Merchant Navy Class 4-6-2 Built in 1948. Awaiting restoration from scrapyard condition at Crewe Diesel TMD.
35027 Port Line Built in 1948. Awaiting overhaul at Crewe Diesel TMD. Last ran in 2003.
30499 LSWR S15 class Built in 1920. Moved to the East Lancashire Railway in 1996 so 499's boiler could be removed and donated to sister engine 30506. Whilst at Bury, frames were overhauled and painted, and the wheels and crank pins were turned. Under restoration at the Mid Hants Railway.
44422 LMS Fowler Class 4F 0-6-0 Built in 1927. Awaiting overhaul at the Churnet Valley Railway.
45337 LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 Built in 1937. Undergoing Boiler Work at the Llangollen Railway.
45690 Leander LMS Jubilee Class 4-6-0 Built in 1936. Operational and Mainline Certified at Carnforth MPD.
6201 Princess Elizabeth LMS Princess Royal Class 4-6-2 Built in 1933. Operational and mainline certified at Carnforth MPD.
46441 LMS Ivatt Class 2 Built in 1950. Static Display at Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway.
49395 LNWR Class G2 0-8-0 Built in 1921. Static display at The National Railway Museum in Shildon.
71000 Duke of Gloucester BR Standard Class 8 4-6-2 Built in 1954. Undergoing overhaul at Tyseley Locomotive Works.
76079 BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0 Built in 1957. Operational and Mainline Certified at North Yorkshire Moors Railway.
92134 BR Standard Class 9F 2-10-0 Built in 1957. Operational at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.
92207 Built in 1959. Undergoing Restoration from scrapyard condition at the Shillingstone Railway Project.
92214 Built in 1959. Operational at the Great Central Railway.
CEGB Meaford No.1 RSH 0-6-0T Built in 1951. Static display at North Tyneside Steam Railway.

Diesel
Number & Name Type Photograph Notes
20087 BR Class 20 Bo-Bo Built in 1961. Owned by the Harry Needle Railroad Company, currently stored out of service at its Worksop depot.
D5600 BR Class 31 (A1A)-(A1A) Built in 1960. Operational at the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Railway.
37261 BR Class 37 Co-Co Built in 1960. Operational at Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway.
37423 Built in 1960. Operational and Mainline Certified for Direct Rail Services.
37518 Built in 1960. Operational and Mainline Certified for West Coast Railways.
37901 Mirrlees Pioneer Built in 1963. Awaiting mainline certification at Leicester L.I.P. for Europhoenix.
37906 Built in 1960. Operational at Europhoenix.

Reinstatement Proposals

As part of the Government's 'Restoring Your Railway' fund, the route between Rochdale railway station and Bury Bolton Street ELR station was identified as a route for re-opening. As of 23rd May 2020, the bid had made it past the first stage of the 'ideas fund'.[15]

References
  1. "Rawtenstall Station History". Ramsbottom Model Railway Club.
  2. "The Full History". East Lancashire Railway.
  3. "A History of the East Lancashire Railway". eastlancsrailway.org.uk/. Retrieved 5 April 2009.
  4. Taylor, David (15 October 2016). "Flying Scotsman returns to Bury to open new station at Burrs Country Park". Prestwich and Whitefield Guide. Bury Times Ltd. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  5. Shannon, Laura (7 December 2007). "Back on track for connection". Rochdale Observer. Retrieved 5 April 2009.
  6. Lisa Gray (12 September 2014) "Plans to link Castleton Station to the East Lancashire Railway remain on track", Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 7 December 2014
  7. "Thomas the Tank weekend derailed after legal wrangle". Bury Times. 30 April 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
  8. "Residents line Ramsbottom street in bid to see film stars in action". Bury Times. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  9. "The Great Manchester Gyratory: An orbital tram line for the Manchester Metrolink". Citymetric. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  10. p.42
  11. https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2018/10/an-update-on-steam-locomotive-80097.html Update on 80097's restoration
  12. "lyrtrust.org.uk – Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Trust".
  13. Holden, Michael (30 May 2018). "East Lancashire Railway release update on steam locomotive No.13065".
  14. "LMS Crab 13065's Failure".
  15. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/re-opening-beeching-era-lines-and-stations/re-opening-beeching-era-lines-and-stations

Further reading

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