Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

yet cannot find the cause, but such is the damage that this particular car will be written off completely”. However, a subsequent investigated found that a broken carden shaft had broken and ruptured the fuel tank which had ignited. The burnt-out car 51770 was laterly cut up at Doncaster Works, and the Class 113 Cravens units that were prone to fires, were withdrawn by 1969. April Burnley fans could follow their team to Villa Park on Saturday, the 4 th , for 19/6d departing at 08:26. A day later there was a repeat rambler to Grassington at 11:08 for 8/9d. On Friday night the 10 th , at 11:04 with a change in Preston, fans could see the Scotland v England international at Hampden Park for 48/6d. The returning train left Central at 00:55 on Sunday morning. May On both the 3 rd and 10 th , specials were off to Blackpool, with Barrow an alternative on the second of these dates. On Whit Sunday, the 17 th , there were also bookings to Wrexham, Ruabon, Carrog and Corwen, on the 9:51 to Llangollen at 15/- or Glyndyfrdwy at 16/- with associated rambles from the last two stops. Other trains on the day were to Scarborough at 10:01 for 18/6d, Llandudno at 10:20 at 17/9d, and repeat trips to Lakeside/Bowness/Ambleside, Blackpool, Fleetwood and Morecambe. On Whit Monday the programme was Blackpool, Morecambe, and stations from Ilkley to York at 11:40, whilst Blackpool was again on the menu for Tuesday. On Saturday, the 23 rd , both Blackpool and Southport had special trains, and the following day Workington was the destination for 24/-, calling at all stations from Lancaster. Hopes were raised that the Accrington to Manchester direct route would be granted a reprieve, by operating just two trains out in a morning and two return trains in the late afternoon, or a ‘shuttle’ only operating between Accrington and Bury with connections on to Manchester. It was confirmed that these proposals had been discussed at a meeting of railway officials in Preston during mid-May. It was announced that on Mondays to Fridays, between May 28 th and September 7 th , and on Saturdays, June 16 th to the 27 th of July, it would be possible to go to the Isle of Man for 32/3d 2nd Class, or with a 1st Class berth 36/3d. June ( This was the year of the reversion to the old ‘Wakes’, and the number of trips, tours and excursions somewhat reflected these alterations. ) On Sunday, the 7 th , Ribblehead was the destination with bookings to Skipton, Settle and Horton in-Ribblesdale for rambles. The train/steamer excursion to Llandudno via Liverpool on the IOM Steam Packet’s boats began on the 11 th , and would continue every Thursday up to August the 27 th . On Sunday, the 14 th , a special went to Blackpool, whilst on the following day there would be trips to Southport and to Morecambe. Accrington Station would be busy handling regular trains to Yorkshire, calling principally at Halifax, Bradford, Leeds and York, to Cumbria including Kendal, Windermere, all stations to Barrow, and also to Merseyside with connections for the Wirral. On Sundays only, there were reduced fares on trains to Blackpool, Southport, Morecambe, and to the resorts dotted around Morecambe Bay. The town’s ‘Holiday Runabout Ticket’ would again be available valid for six days this year priced at 34/6d. There was great disquiet amongst regular users of the services connecting Accrington with Manchester that from September, 7 th , they would have to travel via Blackburn and Bolton to get into the city. One possibility was that they might have to change trains in Bury to complete their journeys. Another blow came with the news that ‘direct’ trains from East Lancashire to Blackpool might be withdrawn, except when the summer timetable was in operation. Alderman Wallwork, who had been the leader of the opposition to these cuts, stated, “We all assumed that things would remain as they were until after a public hearing, when these issues would be reviewed in the light of the evidence”. The Sunday excursions continued with repeats of the ones to Workington on the 21 st , and to Millom on the 28 th , both operating ‘all stations’ from Lancaster. There were also specials to Blackpool on both these dates. The Town Clerk presented correspondence from his counterpart at Bury Council, enclosing a copy of a report of a meeting held between Local Authority representatives, along with a copy of a Notice issued by the British Railways Board on their proposals to discontinue all railway passenger services between Manchester and Bury Bolton Street via Prestwich, and asking if Accrington Council wished to lodge any objections to this proposal. Especially if it was stated that this would also in ‘all probability’ lead to the withdrawal of the Manchester to Accrington services via Clifton Junction. It was resolved - That Accrington Council would agree to support the objections as tabled by Bury, and the Town Clerk

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