Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

The Policy & Resources Committee met and further to a previous minute of 1980/81, the Town Clerk submitted correspondence from the Division Manager of BR’s London Midland Region. This related to the ‘minimal’ used by the public of the experiment of having excursion trains stopping at Church & Oswaldtwistle Station. It was resolved to thank BR for extending this facility and to request that they extended it even further into the summer months, whilst ensuring that this concession was given maximum publicity. The Highways & Transportation Committee also met in January, when the Town Clerk reminded Members that the ‘Rail Strategy Document’, currently being prepared by Lancashire County Council, was now close to completion and that a meeting would be held at County Hall on Thursday, February 4 th , to enable Members to discuss a draft prior to its being finalised and forwarded to the Secretary of State for Transport. It was resolved that each group would be invited to nominate one member to represent Hyndburn at this conference. The Borough’s Planning Officer submitted a report, setting out the proposals and cost implications for the section of the derelict BR railway line between Church Bridge and Lidget Bridge in Great Harwood, as this scheme represented a long term scheme to reclaim the entire stretch of line between Great Harwood and Whitebirk. Following an examination of a plan displayed for the benefit of the meeting, it was resolved to accept and approve the scheme subject to the provision that the Department for the Environment contributed financially to its costs. February Now branded as a ‘Go Merrymaker Mystery’, a train departed Accrington at 07:22, Church & Oswaldtwistle at 07:26, arriving at its destination at 10:48 on Saturday, the 6 th . It returned at 17:50 and was back at 21:52 and 21:57 respectively. The fares were £7:00 and £3:50p for a child. March The details of the Wakes Week’s trains were advertised at the beginning of the month as follows - From Accrington & Rishton on Saturday, July 17 th . Period returns to Bridlington, Filey & Scarborough @ £14:00. Period returns to Bournemouth, Poole, Southampton & Weymouth @ £27:00. Period returns to Bangor, Chester, Colwyn Bay, Llandudno, Prestatyn & Rhyl @ £12:00. Period returns to Butlin’s Pwllheli (including bus transfer to Pen-y-Chain) @ £16:50p. Fares included seat reservations on overnight trains to the West of England, children 5 and under 16 years at half fare. Railcard holders could travel on these special trains at half the ordinary return fare, subject to the restrictions contained in the Railcard. There was a free bottle of wine for every adult passenger travelling to the Isle of Man via Heysham. April At a meeting of the Development Services Committee, it was resolved that in the Proposed Demolition & Vacant Site Treatment Programme for 1982/83 subject to the finance being available, the work on the former BR railway cutting in Great Harwood would be put on a list of ‘low priority’ projects. The Policy & Resources Committee met when further to a previous minute, the Town Clerk presented a letter from the Divisional Manager of BR, setting out details of three more excursion trains which would call at Church & Oswaldtwistle Railway Station on their return journeys. He pointed out that these would be the “final barometer” of whether or not the residents of the area were prepared to support the facilities on offer. It was resolved that the Information & Public Relations Officer should issue a press release publicising this situation. Beside the Mystery Trips the Rambler Excursions were now being marketed under the ‘GO MERRYMAKER’ banner. May On Monday, the 3 rd , there was a special excursion departing Accrington at 08:40, Rishton 08:47, calling at Rhyl at 10:43 (18:37), Colwyn Bay 11:05 (18:20) and arriving in Llandudno at 11:30. The fares were £4:50p and £2:25p for a child, and the return departed at 18:05 dropping off in Rishton at 21:15, Church & Oswaldtwistle 21:20 and back in Accrington at 21:25. Passengers from Church were advised to board the outward train in Accrington. The same advice was given for the Blackpool train which also Overnight from Accrington & Rishton on Friday, July 16 th . Period returns to Exeter, Paignton, & Torquay @ £27:00. Period returns to Bristol, Taunton & Weston-super-Mare @ £22:00. Period returns to Newquay, Par, Penzance, Plymouth & St. Ives @ £33:00. Period returns to the Isle of Man @ £24:00.

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