Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

difference on the east-bound platform and he thought that guards should be provided with something to aid the elderly, also mothers with young children to get on and off. The Clerk to Hyndburn Council, Nigel McGregor, said this matter had been raised with BR, but nothing had been done. The Policy & Resources Committee were constantly being fobbed off by BR whose spokesman, Mr T. Bradshaw, the Divisional Manager, said “There is insufficient revenue generated at Rishton, to justify the £21,000 it would cost to raise these platforms”. Councillor Donald McNeil had hoped that LCC would throw its weight behind a campaign, but he too was pleased to hear that as in Oswaldtwistle, passengers could now purchase tickets to travel from a travel agent in the town, instead of having to travel to Accrington or Blackburn. September Scheduled for the 4 th , the day excursion to London had been cancelled. The Rambler on Saturday the 12 th , to Blaenau Ffestiniog had fares of £4:20p and £2:10p. It would depart Accrington at 06:41, calling at Church & Oswaldtwistle at 06:45 and Rishton at 06:49. It would then call at Llandudno Junction at 09:26 (18:50), Taly Cafn 10:10 (18:37), Llanrwst 10:20 (18:27), Betws-y-Coed 10:33 (18:18), Dolwyddelen 10:47 (18:05) arriving at Blaenau at 11:02. The return would depart at 17:50 and make additional calls at Roman Bridge at 18:01 and Pont-y-Pant at 18:09. It would be back for 21:23, 21:27 and 21:31 respectively. On Saturday the 19 th , there was a special to Morecambe from Accrington and Rishton, and on the following day to Southport. The timings on this excursion were departing town at 09:44 arriving in Southport at 11:30, returning at 19:00 and back for 20:23. The fares from Accrington on both these runs were £2:70p and £1:35p. On Tuesday the 22 nd , Chester or the North Wales resorts were again the choices. The special departed Accrington at 09:49, Rishton 09:56, arriving in Chester at 10:06 (19:40), and calling at Rhyl at 10:47 (19:05), Colwyn Bay 11:00 (18:48) and arriving in Llandudno at 11:34. The return departed at 18:35, and was back at 20:59 and 21:04. The fares to Chester were £4:20p and £2:10p and to all the other destinations £4:60p/£2:30p. Blackpool Illuminations would attract trips on Saturday the 12 th and Sunday the 13 th , and again on Saturday, Sunday and Monday the 19 th , 20 th and 21 st . The ‘Mid-Week’ returns to Blackpool would also be available right up until October the 30 th , on weekdays excepting Fridays, returning on any day in the same week. They were priced at £3:66p for adults and valid on any trains. At a meeting of the Highways & Transportation Committee as authorised in a previous minute, the Borough Treasurer submitted his report on the financial implications of introducing a scheme for concessionary rail travel for the elderly. It was resolved not to take up the offer of the scheme proposed by BR. On Saturday the 26th, the ‘Rambler’ excursion was for Newark-upon-Trent, departing Rishton at 08:37, Accrington 08:44, and calling at Nottingham at 11:42, Burton Joyce 11:52, Lowdham 11:57, Thurgarten 12:01, Bleasby 12:04, Fiskerton 12:08 and arriving in Newark at 12:14. The return departed at 18:30 calling only at Fiskerton at 18:37 and Nottingham at 18:55. It was back in Accrington at 21:39 and Rishton 7 minutes later. The fares were £4:20p and half price for a child. Another alternative on the day was a special to Blackpool departing town at 13:06, Rishton 13:13 and arriving North Station at 14:17. The return was at 21:30, and it was back for 22:26 and 22:31 respectively. The fares from both stations were £1:80p and 95p for a child. The following day there was an afternoon trip to Blackpool and the timings were depart Accrington only 13:02, arriving North at 14:02, returning at 21:30 and back for 22:22. September The Disabled Person’s Railcard was now introduced, allowing half price travel for the handicapped. The card initially cost £10 and BR was running it as an experiment up until the end of 1982, during which time its success would be monitored. If users who qualified obtained the card with some immediacy, they could obtain the concessionary fares for sixteen months for their initial outlay. SECOND GENERATION DIESEL MULTIPLE UNITS (DMUs). It had become patently obvious that the first generation of DMUs were coming towards the end of their lives, and the necessity of replacing them was based on two criteria. They had to be capable of running economically on all lines and were flexible enough, to do both short and long distance work. They were seen as a saviour to many of the uneconomical branch lines whilst being able to run at up to 75 miles per hour on main lines.

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