Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

At Accrington Station it was brisk business as the September break was now restricted to three days instead of four, as had been the tradition. On Sunday and Monday, the 26 th and 27 th , two more Illuminations specials ran to Blackpool. ( Strong rumours were now beginning to circulate that the Accrington to Bury section of line was to close including Helmshore Station, as a site close to York Avenue had been sold with planning permission to build a large factory.) October It was announced that if no objections were lodged then the ‘direct’ line from Accrington to Manchester would close on January 4 th , 1965. Any objections would have to be submitted in writing to the Transport Users Consultative Committee for the NW area at Peter House, on Oxford Street in Manchester, between November 7 th and the closing date of December 21 st . Any objections would delay the closure until after this Committee had submitted them to the Ministry of Transport and the Minister had granted his consent to the closure, under the terms of the Transport Act 1962. A spokesman for the Committee said, “It is within our powers to recommend that this line be kept open, but “hardship would have to be proved before we would do that”. It had already been announced that from June, only a ‘shuttle’ service of trains would be kept on between Accrington and Bury, but when the timetable was published it showed a couple of trains going through to Victoria Station, but these were chiefly for the benefit of the workers. Another station on the line which would close was Helmshore, whilst Ramsbottom had already felt the effects of the ending of passenger services between Bury and Bacup. The Accrington Observer & Times printed the official notice of the closure as follows - British Railways Board Public Notice The withdrawal of passenger services, (Transport Act 1962) The London Midland of British Railways, hereby gives notice in accordance with Section 56 (7) of the Transport Act 1962, that it proposes to end all passenger services between Manchester Victoria and Accrington via Bury Bolton Street, and to close the following stations; PENDLETON, BURY Bolton Street, SUMMERSEAT, RAMSBOTTON & HELMSHORE. Bury Bolton Street, Summerseat and Ramsbottom are affected by the withdrawal of the Manchester Victoria-Bury-Bacup, whilst Bury Bolton Street is also affected by the proposal to withdraw the electric service from Manchester Victoria. Both proposals have been previously published. It appears to the Board that the following alternative services will be available: EXISTING SERVICES BY RAIL Passengers travelling between Manchester Victoria and Clifton Junction and between those points and Accrington will be able to make use of the services travelling via Bolton Trinity Street and Blackburn. EXISTING SERVICES BY ROAD operated by - OPERATOR SERVICE(S) Ribble Motor Services Ltd X3, X13, X23, X43 & X53 Haslingden Corporation Transport Local services Salford City Transport 2, 64 & 66 Bury Corporation Transport 37 Salford C.T. and Lancashire United Transport (jointly) 9 Bury C.T., Rawtenstall C.T., Ramsbottom UDC & Ribble M. S. (jointly). 3 & 4 Salford C.T., Bury C.T. & Manchester C.T. (jointly) 38 ADDITIONAL SERVICES PROPOSED BY RAIL The majority of trains between Manchester Victoria and Bolton now stopping at Pendleton, will be diverted to stop at Pendleton Broad Street. ADDITIONAL SERVICES PROPOSED BY ROAD Details of the passengers using the rail services proposed for withdrawal have been handed to the bus operators concerned, and consideration will be given by them of the need for the augmentation of the existing road services.

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