Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

On Saturday, the 31 st , passengers on a train travelling from Blackpool South had to be evacuated when it arrived at Rishton Station, after an engine beneath one of the carriages caught fire. The fault was a leak of diesel fuel which had ignited when it came into contact with the hot engine. Two fire appliances were summoned from Great Harwood put out the flames, and the unit left empty to go back to Preston for attention, whilst the passengers were put onto the next scheduled service. July BR announced they were to repaint the Scaitcliffe Street Railway Bridge in grey with red highlights. During the work which would take up most of August, diversions would be in place along Brown Street, Richmond Street and Willows Lane. August Hyndburn’s prospective Labour candidate, Greg Pope, promised rail passengers that if Labour won the next General Election they would ensure they got a “fair deal”. They would introduce a Railways Act, which would establish a framework for quality standards. This would include a ‘hot line’ and desks at most stations for suggestions and complaints, improved accessibility for the disabled and set up a Rail Safety Inspectorate. They would also appoint a member to the Board of BR to represent the interests of passengers, and bring in regular surveys to ascertain just what the public wanted from their railways. September Vandalism to stations along the East Lancs Line was costing £20,000 annually for repairs, as was the case when top officials visited Church & Oswaldtwistle Station in November, to find the glass in the shelter shattered. Amongst the party was Joe French, the Chair of LCC’s Public Transport Sub Committee and Nick Briggs, the Customer Services Manager of Regional Railways. He stated that they were investing £2∙6 million in improving facilities on the nation’s railway stations, but appealed to the public to be vigilant and report any vandalism or anti-social behaviour they may see. October The Development Services Committee met and the Director of Development Services (DofDS) reported that work on the Railside Revival Scheme to landscape the embankment adjoining the Railway Viaduct in Accrington had recently commenced. Members had approved this work at a June meeting subject to the cost not exceeding £7,535. But due to some unforeseen work entailing the reconstruction of some stone walling, the cost would now be in excess of the original sum by approximately £2,000. This scheme was being jointly funded by BR, LCC and Hyndburn Borough Council, and that the addition contribution by the Council would come out of the Capital Programme’s allocation. It was resolved to authorise an additional £700 towards the implementation of this scheme within the current financial year. The Technical Services Committee met, when the DofTS presented a report detailing BR’s timetabled services as of May 1992, and it was resolved to forward this committee’s comments on this report to the County Surveyor. The travelling autumn fair was now consigned to using the former railway yard off Charter Street in order to set up this twice yearly event. November At a meeting of the Policy & Resources Committee, the DofTS reported that LCC had prepared a report, on the need for greater investment in public transport in order to help relieve congestion across the County. It stressed the urgency of obtaining Government funding in order to assist LCC along with BR in attracting new investment in public transport. It was resolved that the DofTS should inform the Secretary of State of Hyndburn Borough Council’s support for the County Council’s submission, and to further press for consideration to be given to transport schemes, with special regard to women and other vulnerable elements of the community, also to give regard to the removal of the current cap on the borrowing powers of British Railways. The St James Day Tripper on Saturday the 19 th was to Ely and/or Cambridge, and was topped-and tailed throughout by 47:522 and 47:628. The Full Council also met when the DofDS reported that the projects undertaken this year in the Railside Revival Programme for 1991/92 were expected to cost Hyndburn Borough Council £33,000, and the capital money allocated to this scheme was £30,000. The members were reminded that this was a jointly funded venture with Lancashire County Council and British Railways, with the actual value to Hyndburn being £86,000. This increased expenditure was due to the repainting of the railway bridge spanning Bolton Avenue, and even though it was not included in the original budget, it was for both financial and practical reasons it had been included at the same time as the brick abutments were being cleaned. It was then resolved that the bridge painting scheme would be included in the 1991/92 programme, and that this additional £3,000 would come out of the Demolition & Vacant Sites Treatment

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