Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

Blackburn and Colne and Blackburn and Todmorden and also Bradford, (two normal rail services), illustrated the fact that these on-going strikes were having a serious effect on the numbers of people prepared to travel on Saturdays. It was quite noticeable that with every succeeding one the numbers of people departing and arriving from Accrington was diminishing week on week. In fact during my stay I did not see one person alight from any of these vehicles, and the sum total of those boarding was less than a dozen. It was quite obvious that very many potential passengers had been lost due to advanced notice of the continuing industrial action, with Blackpool being hit very hard within twenty-four hours of the switch on of the Illuminations. On Wednesday the 19 th , Colas Rail had deployed another Class 70 locomotive #802 on the VTG tanker train. As a result I had taken myself off to the Railway Station the following day, to see if I might get a photograph of this unusual event. But on this occasion I was out of luck. However, it did give me the opportunity to observe some of the other goings-on for an hour or so. It wasn’t good news for those heading for stations in the Colne direction, as an announcement over the speaker system informed prospective passengers that the 10:08 train from Preston had been cancelled, and a bus replacement was being provided, although I saw no evidence of this. The only thing that was happening on the Eagle Street side of the booking hall was contractors laying concrete for a new pathway leading around the rear of the building to the picnic tables on the landscaped land at the back. This however was the only cancellation I witnessed, but what was striking was the number of liveries on the units passing through. First through was 158:905 in the old Northern Rail livery with the vinyls promoting destinations on the network that their trains serve, this was working the Leeds to Preston service, the truncated version of the York to Blackpool North as it was before electrification of the Preston to Blackpool section. Next was unit 150:129 on the Blackburn to Southport service. This is a service which having gone around by Todmorden, Rochdale and Manchester Victoria has now been extended to operate beyond Wigan Wallgate to serve Burscough Junction en route to Southport. This unit was in the old Great Western livery minus any vinyls, and I couldn’t help noticing that on arrival there was not a single passenger to be seen, although a few did board in Accrington. To keep the theme going the next train trough was the Preston to Bradford Interchange in the hands of 158:871, which was in the distinct colours of ScotRail, again minus any wording. This was followed by the Southport to Blackburn a four car set with 142:038 leading in First Northern Rail colours, with the two car 150:149 behind (and locked off), in Arriva Northern Rail’s bland and uninspiring livery. Some of these units have vinyls claiming that they are a part of the great Northern Powerhouse initiative, something of which we have seen absolutely no evidence of in Accrington or along the East Lancashire Line as yet! The figures coming out from official sources state that the strikes during May, June and July had cost the northern economy £38 millions in lost revenue and wages, and the number of trains cancelled had reached almost unbelievable numbers, not to mention those which were being classed as late and very late. Finally, the Iron Bridge at the foot of Marlborough Road has now reopened to pedestrians. The only alterations appeared to be higher metal fences on the approaches to the steps, and new guards to the sides of the lower stairways, but nothing extra above that. This was the bridge which replaced the level crossing at Meadow Top in October 1896. The last Saturday of the month, the 29 th , was the final day of strikes in the current round. Whether it would be the last was still not known, although it appeared that no settlement had yet been reached over the issue of Driver Only Operated Trains (DOOs). Once again my enthusiast friendly co-ordinator was on duty at Accrington Railway Station, and there appeared to be more people travelling during the morning than had previously been the case. The three services being covered were those between Colne and Preston, and between Blackburn and Todmorden or Hebden Bridge. Some of the coaches were going all stations between Blackburn and Preston, whilst an alternative of a direct service between the two was also available. October On the first day of the month the locomotive on the VTG tanks was again 70:802, and in an attempt to catch a picture of this freight passing through Accrington Railway Station, on Tuesday the 2 nd , I visited at what was approximately the time it normally passed through going east. My stay did enable me to witness just what else was going on, and I have to say it was hardly encouraging. A bus replacement was still deputising for a cancelled train to Colne and the return to Blackburn. The 10:12 to

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