Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

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44689

Stanier ‘Black 5’

Horwic h

Sep.195 0

4 – 6 – 0 tender 5MT

July 1956

Mar. 1961

Sep. 1967

1957 January Until further notice with a change of trains in Manchester, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, midweek returns to London could be obtained at 40/-. Football fans were asked to book in advance for specials on Saturday, the 12 th , to Bank Hall Station for the Everton v Rovers game, departing at 11:35 for 6/-, and also to Bournemouth for Stanley’s away game. This would go overnight from Huncoat at 23:30, Accrington 23:38 and Church 23:42 for the FA Cup 3rd Round tie. ( Stanley lost 2 - 0 .) On Sunday, the 13 th , there were repeat excursions to Barrow or Doncaster, and Coventry on the 20 th . On the 27 th , the choice was either Millom or Chesterfield, with the addition of a train to Bell Busk, calling at Nelson, Colne and Skipton, with organised rambles from Skipton and Bell Busk. Departing Accrington at 11:17 the fare to Skipton was 3/10d and to Bell Busk 4/3d, with light refreshments available on board. An Accrington man George Reardon (35), of Lonsdale Street, Accrington, was found guilty of assaulting a porter at Colne Railway Station, when he was informed he could travel no further after he was awoken on the train from London. He had demanded to be taken back to Accrington and when this was refused he became violent. He was fined £1 for assault, £1 for being drunk and disorderly, £1 for obstructing a BTC official in the execution of his duties and 5/6d costs. He was also bound over for 12 months. February The trips by train started on Saturday, the 9 th , with one to Bradford Forster Square, departing town at 11:20 returning at 19:40 for a fare of 5/6d. The next day there was a repeat visit to Workington. A day trip by train was advertised for Sunday, February 10 th , to Lancaster 5/3d, Carnforth 6/6d, Grange over-Sands 8/-, Ulverston 9/6d, Dalton-in-Furness 10/-, Millom 11/9d, Seascale or Sellafield 13/-, St. Bees at 13/6d, Whitehaven 14/- and Workington at 14/9d return. On Saturday, the 16 th , it was the 5th Round of the FA Cup and Burnley supporters could go to Huddersfield for 5/3d, departing at 12 noon, Huncoat at 12:05 with a return at 18:20. On the 17 th , the destination was Leicester and on the 24 th , either Barrow or Chesterfield. The first inklings of moves for the ending of passenger services on the North Lancs Avoiding Line had surfaced during 1956. At that time there were 10 up and 10 down trains running each weekday. British Railways had revealed that on a daily average only 70 passengers boarded from Great Harwood to Blackburn, whilst only 103 travelled to Burnley. On Saturdays these numbers increased to 170 and 152 respectively. The weekend figures were put down to shoppers and football supporters. It was said that these had contributed to the line making an annual loss of £9,700. Not only was Great Harwood Urban District Council involved in a campaign to save the line, as Burnley Rural District Council got involved. In February and in spite of all these manoeuvres, BR installed new station signs in maroon and white at Great Harwood Railway Station, and these were explained as part of a pre-planned scheme by BR. The reason given for this seemingly waste of money from BR’s Public Relations Officer was, “The station might remain open for holiday traffic and other excursions, even if it closed to regular services”. Never-the-less on March 7 th , 1957, the following notice was released by Great Harwood UDC -

GREAT HARWOOD URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL -------------------- A PUBLIC MEETING about the Proposed Closing of The Railway Station --------------------- The British Transport Commission intends to close

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