Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

Burnley Central Nelson and Colne. However, a suggestion had also been put forward that trains could work through to Accrington, with its new eco-friendly railway station, where they would terminate and then change tracks for the journey back through Burnley Manchester Road, to Todmorden, Rochdale and Manchester Victoria. This option would not incur any extra signalling expense. September At a meeting of the Full Council, Councillor Graham Jones proposed a motion seeking support for a high speed rail link from East Lancs to Manchester. Following a debate the vote taken was unanimously in favour and the strategy was set out as follows - 1) To thank LCC and Burnley Council for the investment and work they have put into promoting this scheme. 2) To set up a working group consisting of members from East Lancashire’s Local Authorities, to oversee this project in the light of the findings of the Faber Maunsell report. 3) That Hyndburn Borough Council identifies this project as a matter of strategic importance. 4) That given the breakdown in relations between Hyndburn Borough Council and Lancashire County Council, to secure the success of this Working Group, that its membership from Hyndburn shall be no more than one member cross-party and proportional. October Hyndburn Cabinet met when the leader circulated a response from SELRAP, thanking the Council for its support in their campaign to reopen the Colne to Skipton railway line. A source of information at Accrington Railway Station had informed me that starting on Sunday, the 11 th of November, coaches would replace trains whilst essential maintenance work was carried out on the East Lancashire Line. This work would continue for five consecutive Sundays. It wasn’t good news for travellers who use Huncoat railway station in the autumn, as instead of having one train every hour through the week, the service would now only call there once every two hours, whilst the alternate train will miss out Hapton and some trains would stop short at Burnley Central instead of going through to Colne. The problem was leaves on the line, (again). Apparently they were causing so many delays and late running that the only way to maintain the timetable was to miss out selected stations and to curtail it short of Colne. The whole thing was passed off as “a health and safety issue”, whereas the belief was that it is about meeting punctuality targets at the expense of a full service. December A scheme entitled Remade was to further enhance the redundant railway line through Great Harwood. Part of the line between Great Harwood and the ten arches of Martholme Viaduct had already been turned into cycleways and footpaths, but subsequent developments had created several gaps. The line last saw regular passenger trains in 1957, but both Great Harwood and Padiham Stations had reopened for holiday traffic for two weeks each year up until 1963. Excursion traffic continued to use the line until the following year, and then only the section between Padiham Power Station and Rose Grove remained in use, it too succumbing during 1993. Eventually it was hoped that the entire 9 miles of former trackbed will be open for recreational use. It was said that due to unforeseen earthworks, mile for mile it was the most expensive length of line constructed by the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway when it eventually opened in 1877. 2008 January Councillor Graham Jones submitted a question to the leader at a meeting of the Full Council, asking if he would give an update on the progress being made on securing a ‘high speed’ rail link between East Lancashire and Manchester. He stated that Burnley Borough Council would advise Hyndburn and other East Lancs districts how they could best support these proposals. Lancashire County Council and Burnley Borough Council had been thanked for their work on this project, and had been informed of Hyndburn’s support. February For the most part the presentation at the first Lancashire Local Meeting of the year concerned itself with the new railway station and interchange. A feasibility study had been completed and the County had commissioned detailed design work at a cost of £150,000, which seemed an exorbitant amount. Further avenues for the funding of the eco-friendly buildings were still being explored. These include the Department for Transport for an ‘Access For All Grant’ and money from the European Union. March Despite the fact that all politicians and business people in East Lancashire believed that good transport links were essential to the prosperity of the region, the proposed improvements to the rail link with the Greater Manchester conurbation had been turned down. The bid to secure £8 millions of funding for improvements to the line connecting Blackburn and Bolton, including doubling of the single line

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