The East Lancashire Railway is a NaNmiles heritage railway line in North West England which runs between Heywood, Greater Manchester and Rawtenstall in Lancashire. There are intermediate stations at Bury Bolton Street,, Summerseat and Ramsbottom, with the line crossing the border into Rossendale serving Irwell Vale and Rawtenstall. Before closure, the line terminated at Bacup.
The heritage line is now just over 12miles 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.
Passenger services between Bury and Rawtenstall were withdrawn by British Rail on 3 June 1972.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, Ewood Bridge & Edenfield and Stubbins. The latter was the junction of the lines to Accrington and Rossendale although there were no platforms serving these lines.
Rawtenstall is the practical northern limit of the line, as the formation on towards Bacup has been lost immediately north of the station.
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 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 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 in 2009 with HIT Entertainment, the owners of the Thomas brand.[5] 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 April 2023, the railway was subject to national press coverage for dismissing a female volunteer following her complaint about misogynistic behaviour and discriminatory treatment. The volunteer had been shortlisted as Inspirational Woman of the Year at the 2023 Railway Awards ceremony hosted by the Heritage Railway Association for her work as a heritage railway steam locomotive fireman with Llangollen Railway. The volunteer stated, "the actions of the ELR are the very reason why culture needs to change". The company denied unfair treatment.[6] [7]
The heritage line is now just over 12miles 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.[8]
options for providing an interchange station at Castleton between East Lancashire Railway and National Rail services were being explored. Plans for the station were supported by Rochdale Borough Council, which hoped to fund it by adjacent land development.[9]
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.[10]
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).[11]
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 23 May 2020, the bid had made it past the first stage of the 'ideas fund'.[12]
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.[13]
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".
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).
| Number & Name | Type | Photograph | Livery | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 Gothenburg | North Western Railway Blue | Built in 1903 at Hudswell Clarke. Used as Thomas the Tank Engine on "Day Out with Thomas"'. | |||
| 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.[14] | ||
| 47298 | BR Unlined Black, Early Emblem | Built in 1924. Operational. Fresh from overhaul in October 2021. Privately owned and destined for eventual use on a private railway. | |||
| 52322 | BR Unlined Black, Early Emblem | Built in 1895 at Horwich Works. Fresh from overhaul in October 2021. |
| Number & Name | Type | Photograph | Livery | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51456 (752) | 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".[15] 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 | |||
| 60009 Union of South Africa | BR Lined Green, Late Crest | Built in 1937. Based at the railway for the remainder of its boiler ticket, withdrawn from service in early October due to fault of boiler pipes. Currently on display inside Bury Transport Museum. |
| Number & Name | Type | Photograph | Livery | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1370 May | 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. | |||
| No 2890 "Douglas" | 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. On loan to the Spa Valley Railway | |||
| 44871 | 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. |
| Number & Name | Type | Photograph | Livery | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3855 | Built in 1942. Undergoing restoration from scrapyard condition. | |||
| 7229 | Built in 1935. Undergoing restoration from scrapyard condition inside Baron Street works. | |||
| 13065 | 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.[16] [17] | |||
| 34092 City of Wells | BR Lined Green, Early Emblem | Built in 1949 at Brighton Works. Formerly based at the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. | ||
| 35009 Shaw Savill | Built in 1942. Undergoing restoration from scrapyard condition. | |||
| 46428 | LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0 | Built in 1948. Undergoing restoration from scrapyard condition. | ||
| 47324 | BR Unlined black, TBC | Built in 1926. Under Overhaul. | ||
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.
| 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 Green | |||
| 08164 (D3232) 'Prudence' | 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 | Cared for by the Bury Hydraulic Group. | |
| 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. Cared for by the Bury Hydraulic Group. | |
| 37109 (D6809) | BR Class 37 | BR Trainload 'Metal' | Built in 1963 | |
| 40106 (D306) 'Atlantic Conveyor' | BR Class 40 | BR Green | Built in 1960 and has never carried BR Blue livery. On loan to the SVR. (Owned by the Class 40 Preservation Society) | |
| 345 (40145) | BR Green with small yellow warning panel | Built in 1961, (Owned by the Class 40 Preservation Society). Mainline certified | ||
| D832 'Onslaught' | BR Class 42 | BR Blue | Built in 1962. Cared for by the Bury Hydraulic Group. | |
| 45108 | BR Class 45 | BR Blue | Built in 1961, on loan from the Midland Railway - Butterley | |
| 50015 (D415) 'Valiant' | BR Class 50 | BR Large Logo Blue | Built in 1968 | |
| Number & Name | Type | Photograph | Livery | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3438 'Planet' | F. C. Hibberd | Blue | Built in 1950. Under restoration at Castlecroft | ||
| 07013 | BR Class 07 | BR Blue with Wasp Stripes | Built in 1962. On display awaiting overhaul | ||
| 08944 | BR Class 08 | Black with Wasp Stripes | Built in 1962. Stored likely to be broken up for spares, owned by the Harry Needle Railroad Company | ||
| D9502 'Kerys' | BR Class 14 | BR Green | Built in 1964. Undergoing long-term restoration. | ||
| D8233 | BR Class 15 | N/A | Built in 1960. Undergoing restoration in Baron Street works | ||
| D5705 | BR Class 28 | BR Green with Yellow warning panels | Built in 1958. Undergoing restoration | ||
| 6536 (33117) | BR Class 33 | N/A | Built in 1960. Undergoing overhaul in Buckley Wells shed. | ||
| 40135 (D335 & 97406) | BR Class 40 | BR Blue | Stopped and awaiting engine repairs | ||
| 45135 | BR Class 45 | BR Blue | Built in 1961. Undergoing major overhaul in Buckley Wells shed | ||
| D1041 'Western Prince' | BR Class 52 | BR Blue with full Yellow ends | Built in 1962. Undergoing overhaul in Castlecroft shed. Cared for by the Bury Hydraulic Group. | ||
| 56006 | BR Class 56 | BR Blue | Built in 1976, (on loan from the Class 56 Group) |
Note that the locations given may not be current as locomotives move between railways from time to time.
| 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 | 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. Awaiting overhaul at Carnforth MPD. | ||
| 46441 | Built in 1950. Undergoing overhaul 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. |
| 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. Awaiting overhaul 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. | |||
| 51339+(59506)+51382. | BR Class 117 | Built in 1959. Departed for the Colne Valley Railway in 2020. |