Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

accommodation, but there were no outings arranged. The return was from Euston at 16:15 on Sunday and the fares were £6:25p per adult and £4 per child. February Now being promoted under the ‘Soccerail’ banner, a special charter was operating on Saturday the 19 th , to Birmingham for Burnley’s away game at St Andrews. Again there was no reduction in the £1 flat fare. This train left Accrington at 10:50 arriving at New Street at 13:45 and returning at 18:00. At a meeting of the Planning Committee the Town Clerk submitted correspondence from the East Lancashire Light Railway Company Ltd, who was acting on behalf of the East Lancs Railway Preservation Society, stating that they were hoping to purchase the British Railways Diesel Depot off Charter Street on its closure later this year. It enquired if the Council had any plans for the use of this site, or any objections to it being used to store preserved steam and diesel locomotives and rolling stock in this redundant structure. It was resolved the Town Clerk should reply that the Council had no plans for the future use of this building and site, whilst also informing British Railways of the decision that the Council did not wish to acquire it, and therefore would have no objections to it being put to the use outlined by this Society. March On March 4 th , the ELRPS were once again operating their trip to London. Those adults wishing to do their own thing would pay £3:25p for the privilege and their children £2:30p. The second option was a coach to the Ideal Homes Exhibition at £3:80p and £2:75p including entry, whilst the third was a tour of the city including HMS Belfast for the same ticket price. Again there would be free buses to Accrington and all seats reserved. The ‘Soccerail’ charter also ran again on the 4 th , to the Middlesbrough v Burnley game, departing Accrington at 10:57 arriving at 13:47 and departing at 17:50. The fare was again a flat £1. BR’s Mini-Holiday to London was repeated on the 11 th , with the train picking up in Accrington on its journey from Nelson. It was a copy of the previous November excursion. On Saturday the 18 th , what was described in the advertisement as a ‘Seaview Special’ ran to Eastbourne. It departed Nelson just before midnight, picking up in Burnley, Accrington, Blackburn and Leyland, arriving in the resort in time for breakfast. The fares were adults £1:95p, children £1, and there were light refreshments available throughout. April Saturday the 1 st saw the first of the year’s Mystery Trips off at 06:50 with an arrival at the destination at midday, and a return at 17:55. Light refreshments were available and the fare for an adult was £1:95 and for a child £1. Burnley Football Club was chartering a ‘Soccerail’ to Blackpool on the 1 st , for 60p, and also on Monday the 3 rd , to Sunderland for £1. With the news that BR was intending to close the diesel maintenance depot on Charter Street in October, MP Arthur Davidson had got involved, and was attempting to save the jobs of the 130 workers who were based there. He had written to the Chairman to ask for BR to reconsider this decision, as there was already a shortage of jobs in the area and youngsters were drifting away to seek employment. He had received a reply stating that this move had come about as part of a drive to reduce expenditure by rationalising resources. He was also told that plans were not so sufficiently advanced that a number could be placed on the staff that would be displaced, but did say that every effort would be made to find alternative work on the railways for those who wished to remain. Some would be offered transfers to Newton Heath in Manchester, but some would be given redundancy notices. Unhappy with this response, Mr Davidson was planning to meet with representatives of the Unions involved. Commencing on the 3 rd , new ‘Off-Peak’ day return fares were being introduced to the Fylde Coast and Blackpool. Starting with the 10:09 and any train thereafter, with a return on any train on the same day, the fare of 60p would be valid from Accrington, Church & Oswaldtwistle and Rishton. On April 8 th , the popular Mini-Holiday to London operated again, with passengers using service trains to Preston to catch the 09:03 departure. The return from Euston was on Sunday at 16:15. Moves were made by the Rishton Health Committee, backed by LCC and a 200-name petition, to have BR do something about the platforms at Rishton Station. The gap between the train and the platform edge in some places was about a foot wide, whilst the difference in height amounted to staggering two feet. May Vandals had pushed heavy coping stones from the parapet of a bridge over the disused railway at Five Arches at the top end of Priestley Clough, now a nature beauty spot.

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