Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

existed as to which the schools and big industries would take. This would render BR’s excursion plans infinitely more difficult if not properly resolved. ) Rovers were at West Brom on the 10 th , Burnley at Villa on the 17 th , and it would cost either set of fans 19/6d to follow their teams including having to change stations in Manchester. After 47 years on the railway, the retirement was announced of Councillor Herbert Saynor of Pickup Street, in Clayton. He had started work for the L & Y in 1915, and after an accident which occurred when working as a shunter at Church sidings in 1927 that badly injured his leg, he had been retrained as a signalman. The month ended with a trip to Chesterfield on Sunday, the 25 th . December The fare on the excursion to Workington on the 2 nd , was now 24/-, whilst Burnley supporters going to Kirkdale for the game with Everton would have to pay 7/9d, and on Boxing Day 11/3d to see them play away at Sheffield Wednesday, with a change at Rose Grove from the 11:10 from town. Thirteen boys from Huncoat, aged between 10 and 14, were each fined £2 for demolishing railway fences to use as bonfire wood, which they had either sawn off or just broken down. Twenty-six year old engine driver Edwin Lane, from Clayton-le-Moors was struck by an engine which was hauling the Aintree to Croston freight, when he was crossing the lines at Bamber Bridge at 04:18. He was rushed to Preston Infirmary where he underwent surgery but despite this he lost both his legs. 1963 ( On January 1 st , Dr Richard Beeching took office as the first Chairman of the British Railways Board, and two months later his report entitled The Reshaping of British Railways, [aka the Beeching Report] was published. Its specific intention was to make the railways profitable by the end of the decade, but in fact only managed to keep the deficit under control without actually eliminating it. The report advocated the closing of 2,363 stations and the lifting of over 5,000 miles of line.) January There was the option of a weekend in London for Burnley fans who wished to attend their FA Cup 3rd Round tie with holders Tottenham Hotspur. Departing at either 14:42 or 15:42 with a change in Manchester, the £9 – 15s – 0d fare was inclusive of rail travel, two nights accommodation with meals and a return from St Pancras at 13:50 on Sunday afternoon. Transport from station to hotel was at the traveller’s own expense, and 1st Class travel was available at a supplement of £2. It was announced that on every Sunday up until June 16 th , there would be a trip to Lancaster or Morecambe from Huncoat at 09:12, Church & Oswaldtwistle 09:22 with a change in Preston, or direct from Accrington at 10:00, with fares at 8/- or 8/3d from Huncoat with a return on selected trains. On Sunday, the 27 th , the destination was Ingleton with organised walks from Giggleswick, Clapham and the destination, this despite it being one of the bleakest winters since the big freeze of 1947. ( The local brickworks’ decided that they wished to return to the second two weeks in July as the holiday fortnight, along with 300 workers at Broad Oak Printworks and some other large textile firms. The local traders were also in favour of this move back to the traditional Wakes Weeks. ) There was a proposal that along with the section of line between Accrington and Stubbins Junction, the line connecting Accrington with Burnley should be closed. This would have left what had been the three route junction as a single line railhead. February There was a repeat of the excursion to Lancaster and stations to Barrow on Sunday, the 3 rd . BRB announced that from Saturday, the 9 th until further notice, the return fare to London would be 48/6d. The choice of trains was the 22:15 on Thursday or Friday, or the 08:00 on Wednesday and Saturday, both requiring a change in Preston. The retirement was announced of Mr Bert E. Harwood, who had been in charge of the BR goods depots in Church, Haslingden and Accrington during his time on the railway. He had started work as a junior clerk at Church in 1918, and had also worked at the Bolton goods office before being appointed Chief Clerk at Burnley. He had come to Accrington in 1961. The General Purposes Committee met to consider the town’s position, consequent upon the withdrawal by British Railways of the ‘direct’ railway service between Accrington and London (the Colne - Euston) and its return, whereby passengers would now have to travel via Preston, which would result in higher fares than had been the case when travelling via Blackburn, Bolton, Manchester and Stockport. It

267