Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

There were also Mystery Trips arranged for Wednesday the 5 th , leaving town at 07:41 and arriving at the destination at 12:20 before returning at 18:20, and on Tuesday the 11 th , departing Accrington at 07:40 and arriving at 12:40 and coming back at 17:50. Two more would operate on Tuesday the 18 th and Wednesday the 25 th . The fares were the same on all these excursions, £1:95p for an adult and £1:25p for a child. To top it all off there were specials on Thursdays the 20 th and 27 th , to London and Windsor, with a repeat on the trip to Windsor of the cruise to Runnymede and tea on board. On this trip there was also a repeat of the photographic competition with a free film thrown in. The train departed Accrington at 07:40 and the return was from Euston at 19:13. Fares for London only were adults £3 and children £2, and the excursions for an all-in price of £5:95p and £4:75p respectively. A spokesman at the Railway Station said, “The bookings on the overnight trains had been “brisk”, with the boat trains to the Isle of Man as popular as ever”. August The momentum continued with excursions to Blackpool on Sundays the 6 th , 13 th and 27 th , then to Southport on the 20 th , at 45p for adults and children 23p. There were connections to and from Accrington to a train departing from Blackburn at 07:31 on Saturday the 19 th , to Edinburgh for the Military Tattoo. The fare of £3:25p for adults and £2:25p for children included seats at the spectacle. The return departed overnight from Waverley Station at 01:30 on Sunday the 20 th . On both Sundays the 13 th and 20 th , there was a ‘Fair’ special to Morecambe for the Illuminations or to visit the Rail Fair Exhibition being held at Morecambe Promenade Station, where amongst the attractions were steam, diesel and electric locomotives, an exhibition train, a model railway, model engineering display and a miniature railway. Admission to the show was 10p for grown-ups and 5p for kiddies. The trains would depart Accrington at 12:17, Blackburn at 12:32, returning from Euston Road at 22:00 on the 13 th , and 21:39 on the 20 th . The fares were adults 50p and children 25p. A voucher could be obtained on these trains for reduced admission to Happy Mount Park. The first of the season’s Mini-Holidays to London ran over the weekend of the 26 th /27 th , at a fare of £6:95p for adults and £4:50p per child, this time with the option of an extra night in a Grand Met Hotel, but accommodation would be limited. Another unusual excursion ran on Saturday the 26 th , departing at 10:57 and arriving at Matlock Bath at 13:50, for its Illuminations, decorated boat parade and band concerts, before returning at 21:10. Fares were 75p and 50p respectively. September Departing Accrington at 12:47 arriving at 13:45 and returning from North at 20:20, Blackpool was again the destination on Sunday the 10 th . Another Mystery Trip ran on Saturday the 16 th , leaving town at 07:39, arriving at the destination at 12:58 and returning at 17:48. Morecambe was visited on Sunday the 17 th , fares were 50p and 25p, and the timings were Accrington depart 12:17, arriving at 14:18 and returning at 20:15. Although the platform at Rishton Station was six inches below the standard height accepted as safe, BR refused to spend any money to rectify it. This message was contained in correspondence sent to Rishton District Council by the Divisional Manager, Mr J. B. Downes, who stated that receipts at the station did not justify the £2,500 it was cost to raise the platform to the proper height. Councillor D. J. McNeill suggested that steps with a handrail should be made available for people who were having difficulty boarding and alighting trains. It was resolved to convey Mr McNeill’s suggestion to BR in a letter. In contrast, Oswaldtwistle Council had written to BR in October to congratulate them on the refurbishment of Church & Oswaldtwistle Station, where the old buildings had been replaced by bus stop type shelters, new fencing erected and a general sprucing up had taken place. By making their way to Preston on Saturday the 23 rd , train enthusiasts could travel to Carnforth and have a run behind a steam locomotive to Barrow for £3. The timings were from Preston at midday, Carnforth 12:42 and Barrow 13:31, returning at 14:10. This would also allow time for a visit to the Steamtown Museum before returning to Preston at 19:00. There would be a second steam run at 16:05 arriving in Barrow at 16:54 and coming back at 17:45 in Carnforth at 18:34. October Over the holiday weekend the normal service trains struggled to cope with the numbers travelling to Blackpool, especially on the first through train on Saturday at 09:55, for after this time people had to catch trains which required a change in Preston. A spokesperson at the Station explained, “Unfortunately we had no spare carriages to put on”. However, a special was operating to the resort on

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