Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

20:30 respectively. There was a ‘Rambler’ to Whitehaven departing at 07:50, Rishton 07:56, and calling at Green Road 09:56 (19:06), Millom 10:03 (18:59), Silecroft 10:10 (18:52), Bootle 10:20 (18:43), Ravenglass 10:28 (18:34), St. Bees 10:48 (18:14) and Whitehaven at 10:57, returning at 18:05. The fares were £2:70p and £1:60p for a child. There was also a special to Morecambe departing Accrington at 10:25, Rishton 10:33 and calling at Lancaster at 11:38 arriving in the resort at 11:50. The return train would depart Euston Road at 18:50 (Lancaster 19:11), and be back at 20:08 and 20:14. The fares were £2:24p to Lancaster and £2:52 to Morecambe with children half fare. To May 10 th , the ‘Midday Savers’ were again on offer on any train after the 09:30, returning on the same day up until and excluding the 16:30 and the 19:00. Sample return fares were to Blackburn 51p, Burnley 62p, Nelson 83p and Preston £1:25p, whilst fares to Accrington from Church & Oswaldtwistle were 18p, Huncoat 24p and Hapton 38p. In all instances the child fare was half price. On Saturday the 26 th , an open day was held at the Lancaster at the University, with special buses ferrying interested parties between Lancaster Railway Station and the Campus. The inclusive fares were £2:50p and £1:25p for children, and the train departed at 09:41, Rishton 09:47 arriving in Lancaster at 10:35, returning at 16:32 and back for 17:25 and 17:32. Notice was given that bookings had opened for a ‘Town & Country Weekend’, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, June 7 th and 8 th . For an all-inclusive fare of £21:00 for an adult and £16:00 for a child there was return travel to New Street, staying at the Royal Angus Hotel in Birmingham for one night’s full board, and a coach tour through the Cotswold including Stratford-upon-Avon, then returning to New Street for the 16:45 return to Preston. Bookings would close on May 7 th . Work was now underway on the Haslingden Bypass which was being constructed on the line of the disused railway from Rising Bridge through to Helmshore. This entailed the removal of the short tunnel through the hillside just to the south of the Station platforms. May On Saturday the 3 rd , there was a special to Edinburgh at £5:10p and £3:30p for a child. Whist on Monday the 5 th , another Mystery Trip was on offer, departing Accrington at 07:36, Rishton 07:43, arriving at 13:24, returning at 18:10 and back in Rishton for 23:52 and one minute before midnight in Accrington. The current Mystery Trip fares applied. There was a half-day run to Arnside and Grange over-Sands on Monday the 5 th , departing at 13:26, Rishton 13:33, arriving Arnside at 14:53 (20:06), Grange at 15:01 returning at 20:00 and back for 21:24 and 21:29 respectively. Advanced notice was given of a ‘Mini-Weekend’ in St Malo in Brittany, which would take place over the weekend of September 26 th and 28 th . The fares of £34:00 and £28:00 for a child would include 2nd Class return rail travel to Portsmouth, the ferry to St Malo in a 4-berth cabin, a coach tour to St Michel on Saturday with lunch at Mont St Michel. The ferry would leave Portsmouth at 22:00 on Friday and arrive back at 08:00 on Sunday. Advanced booking was necessary as tickets were strictly limited. Under the heading ‘ Look What You Gain When You Travel By Train ’, there was a whole list of possible rail/road destinations to renown beauty spots across the summer and these included - The Severn Valley & RAF Cosford Aerospace Museum every Tuesday from May 20 th , to September 2 nd . By train to and from Birmingham and then by coach through the Severn Valley, with fares of £7:05p and £4:75p for a child. To Snowdonia every Wednesday from May 28 th to September 17 th , to and from Llandudno Junction then by coach on a tour including the Swallow Falls, with fares of £6:00 and £4:00 for a child. To the Cotswolds and Stratford-upon-Avon every Thursday from May 22 nd to October 9 th . By train to and from Birmingham and then by coach through the villages, with fares of £6:50p and £4:50p for a child. To visit Hadrian’s Wall every Friday from July 4 th to September 5 th . By train to and from Carlisle and then by coach, with fares of £6:40p and £4:35p for a child. There were ‘Bargain Day Returns’ to Morecambe and Grange from Accrington at 09:03, Church & Oswaldtwistle 09:06, Rishton 09:10 with a change required in Preston. Fares were £2:32p from Accrington, £2:24p from Church and Rishton, with children half fare. There was a new bus link in Lancaster which would enable a visit to be made to Hornsea Pottery.

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