Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

platform level. This upper storey contained living accommodation for the resident Stationmaster and his family. All the timber framed buildings on the Accrington platforms were single storey, whereas on the Blackburn platforms they were constructed in stone. They both incorporated ladies and general waiting rooms, as well as rooms exclusively for the use of porters and station staff. The gentlemen’s toilet blocks on both platforms were constructed in stone. Both platforms had wooden canopies which were modified over time. Much later all the stations buildings were removed and replaced by bus type shelters The goods facilities at Church consisted of a stone built warehouse which was accessed from a spur off the running lines over Market Street. The single line continued through the warehouse and into a wooden annex, which contained at its western end a small manual turntable capable of handling one wagon or van. The office and a loading stage were also contained within this shed, before the rails emerged out into the yard on the other side. There was also access at street level beneath through an arched doorway at right angles to the pedestrian subway, which was later closed off. A trap door connected both levels of the warehouse. All these buildings backed on to the Accrington-bound platform. The access to the open yard was up a steep incline off Market Street, where the coal office was and five dead-end sidings of various lengths. These were of course cranes to assist in the loading and un-loading of goods. One of the principle products handled at Church Goods Yard was baled esparto grass imported from South Africa. This was carted up to White Ash Paper Mill, and the resulting product brought back for loading onto the vans of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway for distribution across the country. ( This entire infrastructure is now occupied by a merchant selling timber and building supplies .) Mention of Oswaldtwistle brings to light the fact, that in 1916 the Local Board of the town had discussed the possibility of constructing a branch line up into the town as far as Smithy Bridge, at ‘little’ Moor End, for the benefit of traders and manufacturers. A grander scheme even suggested linking into the Blackburn – Bolton lines in the area of Lower Darwen by an extension. ( This line would have probably branched off the main lines in the area of Foxhill Bank and followed the line of White Ash Brook .) One argument put forward in favour of this was to ease the burden being placed on the goods facilities at Church Station. With the Great War placing a strain on all railway activities this idea was not taken up by the railway Company and was not revived in peace time. ( The local model railway society has built an imaginary facility called Oswaldtwistle Town, which is based on the proposition that this station might have existed. ) There were several industries adjacent to the railway before it entered Church & Oswaldtwistle Station from the west and these included Metcalf’s Chemical Works the Aspen Tar Distillery, a business started circa 1863 that had sidings to the north of the running lines for the acceptance of residue from municipal gas works. Metcalf’s produced various types of oils, varnishes and creosote. The Aspen Colliery, next to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal on the south side, commenced production in 1869 and had its own sidings and signal box. The mine ceased production during 1922 and these sidings were out of use two years later, the box having been closed during 1921. On the other side of the bridge over Blackburn Road, Blythe’s produced dyes and inks for the calico printing trade and chemicals used by the cotton industry, which were loaded at their own sidings. During the wars it also turned out explosives. These sidings were often used for the delivery of cars for the Accrington Corporation Tramways Department, minus their bogies of course To oversee other activities there was a signal box on the embankment close to the Canal which was inspected and passed fit for use in February, 1876. It was later replaced by a larger box and this closed in November, 1969. Originally Blythe’s Ground Frame, a small signal box, stood over the Coach Road at Hollin Bank and was in use from 1876 to 1940. Another larger signal box was just on the eastern side of the bridge which carried the railway over Lonsdale Street, to the east of Church & Oswaldtwistle Station. It was passed for use in mid-June 1877 although it had been opened for some time before that date. It oversaw the approaches to Accrington’s exchange sidings and the locomotive sheds and yard. This box remained in use until the Preston Power Box on October 7 th , 1973.

GREAT HARWOOD RAILWAY STATION

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