Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

return trips to Morecambe and Fleetwood, with all the specials being repeated once again before the end of the month. On Sunday, the 31 st , there was a repeat of the excursion calling at all resorts along the North Wales Coast to Llandudno and also to Belle Vue, with admission to the gardens at 1/9d per adult, and 1/- per child if purchased with the rail ticket. Accrington Fire Brigade were called out to the Leyland Street Sidings one Wednesday afternoon, when a tanker containing 2,000 gallons of ammonia derailed as it was being shunted off the mail lines, fracturing a pipe. Because of a strong wind, the officers did not need to put on breathing apparatus to deal with the leak and it was soon brought under control. Stationmaster Searson stated, “They played a hose onto the liquid in order to dilute it as it escaped, but even if the pipe had broken off there was no cause for alarm as ammonia is not poisonous or inflammable only in very high concentrates, although it did bring a tear to the eyes”. Although closed to service trains, Great Harwood Station remained in use during the ‘Wakes Weeks’ for special holiday trains. There were two to the resorts on the east coast, and one to serve the resorts along the North Wales coast. Rather ironically the return 2nd Class return fares to either Llandudno or Bridlington were £1 – 13s – 0d. However, the remaining platforms would only accommodate five carriages, so holiday and excursion trains had to draw forward in order for passengers to board. This required a porter to go up onto the girder bridge over the lines to wave the train away, having of course, received the signal from the train guard who was out of sight of the locomotive crew. August On Thursday, the 1 st , Lakeside was revisited, whilst on Sunday, the 4 th , the excursion was to Alton Towers, leaving at 10:42 at 12/9d, with organised rambles from Alton. There were also rambles off the Grassington train on the same day. On Mondays to Fridays throughout the month to September 6 th , there were daily runs to Blackpool and Southport. The General Purposes Committee met, when the Town Clerk presented a letter from the Accrington Branch of the National Union of Railwaymen, asking the Committee to submit its objections to the British Railways Board’s on proposals to close the railway line between Accrington and Manchester via Bury. This was on the grounds that this would be detrimental to the public and the industries based in Accrington. On the 11 th there was a special to Blackpool, on the 17 th to Southport and on Sunday, the 18 th , to Millom or to York. The Blackpool and Southport trips would be repeated again on Saturday, the 31 st . The football season had kicked off again with Rovers at Aston Villa, departing Accrington at 08:26 with a return from New Street at 18:00, for 19/6d return. As had been previously advertised, on Friday, the 30 th , the overnight excursion via Preston to Fort William ran, for the road/steamer tours to Glencoe at a fare of 76/-, returning overnight on Saturday. September From Sunday, the 1 st , the pattern of events when the Illuminations were switched on would be regular trips to Blackpool or Morecambe on the 11:49 from Huncoat, 11:53 from Accrington and 11:56 from Church returning from Morecambe Promenade Station at 22:20 for 7/-. A week later the railcar specials were to Llandudno, Barrow or Scarborough, and accommodation was limited on these three trains. The Railwaymen’s Carnival was on at Belle Vue on Saturday, the 14 th , for 5/9d return, whilst on Sunday, the 15 th , the 11:16 excursion from Accrington would call at Leeds 8/-, Selby 12/3d and Hull 18/-. On Sunday, the 28 th the special was to Workington for 24/- with organised rambles from Ravenglass. Until October 25 th , there were daily trains at 11:01, 12:01, 13:03, 14:01 and 15:01 to Blackpool for 5/9d return, and to Southport at 11:01, 12:01 and 13:03, each with a change in Preston for 5/3d. The General Purposes Committee met on Thursday, the 5 th , and having received correspondence from the local branch of the NUR decided to act as they requested by declaring a motion to make an official protest to the BTC about the proposals to close the Accrington to Bury line. Mr K. Yates, the Town Clerk, reminded the meeting that as yet he had received no ‘official’ confirmation that the line was about to close. Mr G. G. Smith pointed out, that the alternative journey via Bolton would take approximately 70 minutes, with one maybe two changes en route, and the fare would increase from 4/11d for a cheap day return to 6/3d, with an ordinary return going from 11/- to 15/-. Councillor Sproul added that BR had reduced the goods traffic to a skeleton service and they were now attempting to drive passengers onto the roads. However, Conservative Councillor Bert Taylor said, “We have no case on which to oppose this closure, as he had been informed there were 150 passengers per day using the

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