Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

Bank Holiday Sunday saw a special to Blackpool departing Accrington at 10:48, arriving at 12:00, returning at 19:00 and back for 19:56. A Mystery excursion ran on the Monday the 27 th , with fares at £4:25p and £2:55p for a child. Blackpool could also be revisited on Monday, with the train this time calling at Rishton at 11:29 after departing town at 11:21. It arrived at North Station at 12:20, returning at 20:14 and back at 21:07 in Rishton and 21:12 in Accrington. The third special on the day departed at 09:24, Rishton 09:30, calling at Lancaster at 10:29, Grange at 10:53 from where it would depart for Morecambe at 15:00 arriving at 15:28. The return from Euston Road Station was at 19:35 and it was back in Rishton at 20:50 and Accrington at 20:56. The fares were £1:95p and 98p from Accrington and £1:89p and 95p from Rishton. September On Saturday and Sunday the 8 th and 9 th , there was the annual trip to the Military Tattoo in Edinburgh. The fares of £9:75p and £6:60p for a child included tickets for the 22:30 performance. Train times were departing Accrington at 08:18, Rishton 08:24 for an arrival at 12:22. The return was overnight on Sunday at 01:55, arriving back in Rishton at 06:45 and Accrington at 06:51. On Sunday the 9 th , there was an excursion to Windermere for £1:85p and £1:05p, and the timings were departing town at 09:55 arriving at 12:25, returning at 17:55 and back for 19:50. Illuminations special returns from Accrington, Church & Oswaldtwistle and Rishton would operate Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, returning Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays in the same week, for £2:64p and half price for children. There were also bargain day returns to Lancaster, Morecambe and Grange-over-Sands on weekdays and Saturdays up to the 22 nd , at £1:95p from Accrington and £1:89p, with timings of Accrington 10:18, Rishton 10:22, Preston arriving 10:50 leaving at 11:02, Lancaster 11:32 with a change for Morecambe arriving 12:35 and Grange 11:39. There was another special to Blackpool on Monday the 10 th , departing at 10:15, arriving at 11:47, returning North at 21:12 and back for 22:08. On Friday the 14 th , the timings were 16:19, (Rishton 16:26) and arriving at 17:25, returning 22:00 and back at 23:02 and 23:07 respectively, whilst evening trips to the lights would continue to until October the 27 th . October Gloucester and Chepstow were the destinations of the ‘Rambler’, which ran from Accrington and Rishton on Saturday the 13 th . The fares were £4:25p and £2:55p for a child. A week later there was a special excursion to London at £6:20p and £3:70p for a child. A soccer excursion ran to take Burnley supporters to Preston on Saturday the 20 th , departing at 13:10 and arriving in Preston at 13:40, returning at 17:20 back for 17:47 and Huncoat at 17:53. On the 27 th , there was yet another Mystery Trip with fares at £4:25p and £2:55p respectively. From the 29 th to December 15 th , there were ‘bargain’ weekday day return fares from all stations on the East Lancs Line on any trains after the 08:46 from Colne, or the 09:30 from Preston. November A ‘Rambler’ ran on Saturday the 17 th , departing Accrington at 08:14, Rishton 08:20, calling at Chester 09:59 (18:50), Wrexham General 10:20 (18:29), Gwersyllt 10:42 (18:15), Cefn-y-bedd 10:48 (18:10), Caergwrle 10:51 (18:07), Hope 10:54 (18:04), Penyffordd 10:59 (17:59) and Buckley at 11:04. Return from Buckley was at 17:55, and the fares were £1:85p and £1:10p to Chester and £2:20p and £1:25p to all the other stations where organised walks had been arranged. Arrival back in Rishton was at 20:37 and Accrington at 20:42. The one night ‘Mini-Breaks’ in London were again available from November 17 th , right through to March 29 th , 1980, with the exception of December 24 th /25 th and February 15 th /16 th /17 th . The de luxe package of 1st Class rail travel and one night’s bed and breakfast in a top class hotel was now £30:50p, whilst the 2nd Class journey with standard class hotel was £20:00. These prices were for a minimum of two people sharing a twin room, with no singles available. Travel outward on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, was by any train after the 06:56 from Accrington and return by any train the following day. For a fare of £6:20p and £3:70p for a child, passengers could travel to London on Saturday the 24 th , departing at 08:18 and Rishton at 08:25. Arrival in Euston was at 12:12 and there was a late return at 22:00, back in Rishton at 02:09 and Accrington at 02:18. Bookings were strictly limited on a special which was advertised to run on the weekend on January 26 th and 27 th , 1980. Entitled the ‘Shakespeare Experience’ in entailed travel from Accrington to connect with the 10:17 from Preston to Birmingham New Street, where passengers would transfer to coaches for a journey to their hotels. Following evening dinner they would then be taken to the Royal

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