Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

the 1950s a substantial amount of sand was added to the permanent way in order to stabilise the track, and whilst this was underway a speed limit of 15mph was imposed over this section. All the signal boxes on the Great Harwood section, East, West, Martholme, Queen Brick and a part-time box at Norden were of the standard L & Y type, built on brick foundations. The Norden box was closed in November 1922. The Harwood Loop was not without its tragedy however, as in the early 1950s, the fireman on a Fairburn tank engine #42147 from Lower Darwen Sheds, which was travelling bunker first towards Great Harwood from Blackburn, leaned too far out of the cab trying to avoid a blow-back from the fire and was struck on the head by a bridge support, sustaining fatal injuries. In Lancashire & Yorkshire times goods engines seen regularly on the Harwood Loop included in the very early years of operation Jenkins 0-4-2 tender locomotives. These were followed by Barton Wright’s 0-6-2 tank engines and Aspinall’s 0-6-0 tender locomotives. Plentiful on the line were Aspinall’s ubiquitous 2-4-2 tanks on passenger trains, the latter working through the LMS into the British Railways eras. In 1950 these were replaced in part up until the winding down of the line by George Fairburn’s 2-6-4 tanks 42147, 42154 & 42180 along with Stanier’s 2-cylinder tanks 42439, 42483/4/5 and 42558/9, these were supplemented by Class 4, 2-6-0 Standard tender engines 76080/1/2/3/4 all from Lower Darwen sheds, whilst a pair of Standard Ivatt 2-6-2 tanks from Rose Grove 84011/2, were used toward the very end. Also from Rose Grove shed the ex-War Department 2-8-0 goods locomotives made appearances. Other types which showed up on an irregular basis included Fowler 0-8-0 tender engines and ‘Big 8’ 2-8 0 goods engines. It was the holiday trains which brought the more glamorous engines to the Loop, with Crabs, Black 5’s Jubilees and Patriot classes all represented, un-named Patriot 45544 of Preston sheds a regular visitor. However, it was the excursions from over the Pennines which provided the rarer sightings, with named and un-named B1 4-6-0s en route to Blackpool, Fleetwood and Southport using the Loop to avoid congestion at Accrington, numbers 61007 ‘Klipspringer’, 61026 ‘Ourebi’ and 61215 ‘William Henton Carver being notable examples along with many other un-named examples. HUNCOAT RAILWAY STATION A distance of 18¾ miles from Preston, this opened on September 18 th , 1848, just beyond what is the highest point on the East Lancs Line. The original facilities were at Highbrake next to where the lines passed beneath Altham Lane, but in 1881 it was relocated about quarter of a mile further west, next to Enfield Road where a level crossing and signal box were established during 1902. Here the platforms were staggered either side of the level crossing, the Accrington platforms to the west. However, by 1912 both platforms were to the east. The yard here contained extensive sidings and facilities for the transfer of coal from the adjacent Huncoat Colliery and the works of the Accrington Brick & Tile Company amongst others. It was thought that the first platforms were staggered, with the one for trains heading west on the same side of the tracks adjacent to the signal box which controlled the level crossing, whereas the platform for trains towards Burnley and beyond, were to the eastern side of the level crossing. There was a sizable complex of sidings overseen by a signal box behind the Accrington Cricket Club’s ground, on the opposite side of the railway to the cemetery, and this controlled a loop of sidings which ran across Whinney Hill to the brickworks off Whalley Road, and also around Whinney Hill to Altham Pit and Coke Works. This industrial loop also served another brickworks, and could also be accessed from behind Huncoat Station. RISHTON RAILWAY STATION Where the line was crossed by the turnpike on what became the A678 road between Rishton and Blackburn, there was the Rishton Tunnel. This was 68 yards in length and was at an angle to the road, and was where, on June 19 th 1848, the first railway station was located. It was stated trains did not stop there and it was not included on the East Lancashire railways time-tables until 1853 when the construction of the new station buildings had been completed. What is likely is that the original small station built of wood, was not in the best position with relation to the township. By May, 1852, the Railway Company had come to an agreement with a local land-owner and colliery boss Henry Petre, for a piece of his land to be made available for a new railway station. This was on an understanding that the adjacent goods facilities would be used for the exclusive handling of his coal and coke. The Company Secretary of the

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