Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

08:15 Bradford 08:23 Skipton

Aintree sorting sidings

Class E goods

Liverpool Exchange Station Passenger

10:10 Aintree sorting sidings Healey Mills Yard 20:00 Aintree sorting sidings Hull Class C goods. February Although long closed to passenger trains, it was on the 6 th of February 1961, that the remaining facilities for handling goods at Baxenden Railway Station finally ended. MP Harry Hynd was still lobbying in the House of Commons for increased pensions for retired railwaymen to bring them into line with other civil servants. In reply to one question Mr Watts, the Minister of Transport, said the BTC already had the powers to increase these pensions, but due to the financial situation they had chosen not to increase them, despite the strong moral case for doing so. The prospective Liberal candidate for Accrington had also expressed his opinions on the state of the railways by commenting, “British Railways had been bedevilled by the inability of the Government to make up its mind whether it should be operated as a commercial enterprise, or as a social service the results of which the railways were bankrupt and they were having to write off £1,200 million of capital and accumulated loans”. His comments followed the debate on the White Paper ‘Nationalised Transport Undertakings’ held in January. He went on to point out that in 1952, 54% of goods were transported by Rail, whereas in 1959 only 42% went by rail and 58% by road. He felt that raising fares was the worst possible way to deal with falling passenger numbers, as it was now cheaper to travel by bus and coach than on the trains. He ended by saying, “Under the leadership of Jo Grimond the policy of the Liberal Party was to allow the railway authorities to decide which services could be made to pay”. BR announced its savings on fares of up to 5/- in the pound on the overnight holiday trains to the West Country and Cornwall on 8 and 15-day period returns, between Saturdays, June 17 th and August 12 th . These would be leaving from Manchester Victoria Station at about 21:00 on Fridays. March Overnight on Friday, the 10 th , the Staffa & Iona rail/cruise departed with a fare of 80/6d. Whilst advanced notice was given of a return to Fort William and the Kyles of Bute on June 2 nd , with the same fare of 62/-, and this excursion would operate again on September 1 st . Another special return excursion by diesel was advertised for Sunday, the 5 th , departing Accrington to the same Lake District destinations as on January 29 th , on this occasion departing Accrington at 10:32 and Church & Oswaldtwistle at 10:36. On Sunday, the 12 th , there was a repeat railcar excursion to Llandudno, to be followed a week later by another railcar trip to St Annes or Blackpool at 4/9d. Saturday, the 25 th , saw the running of the Grand National and the return train fare was 8/3d, with a departure at 11:10 and a return on any train. On Sunday, the 26 th , the destinations were Harrogate 9/6d, or Ripon 12/6d departing Church at 10:17 Accrington at 10:22, with organised rambles from Skipton, Harrogate and Ripon, or a repeat excursion to Chesterfield. The Easter weekend would encompass the beginning of April, starting on Good Friday with a railcar repeat to Scarborough for 18/6d, departing at 10:40 and returning at 18:30. Other alternatives were trips to Millom, Ilkley, Morecambe or Fleetwood April On Easter Day, April 2 nd , for 6/6d the delights of Morecambe were on offer leaving town at 09:35, Church 09:39 for 3d less, with a return from Promenade Station at 19:20, with the alternatives of trips to York, Grassington (plus rambles), and the old favourite Coventry. The Highways Committee met, when the Borough Engineer reported on his meeting with representatives from the British Railways Board and the Lancashire Constabulary, regarding the reconstruction of the level crossing on Station Road in Huncoat. This work would require the closing off of this roadway from midnight on Saturdays, the 14 th and 21 st , of May, until 20:00 on the following Sunday evenings. It was resolved that he could put in place any measures necessary in order for this work to be carried out. On the 15 th , there were two London destinations on the menu, the first choice being to alight at Wembley Central for the England v Scotland international, or to carry on into the city. This train departed at 07:45 returning from Euston at 17:50 with a fare of 48/6d. With the option of lunch on the outward leg and dinner on the return trip this went up to 73/9d per adult and 37/5d per child. The same fares applied on the train leaving at 23:55 and going overnight to London, returning Euston at 22:35. A day later there Goods empties

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