Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

introduction of the summer timetable in May. More discouraging news is that the ‘new’ stock to be introduced by Arriva Rail North cannot use the designated platforms in Leeds Central Station, as they are too short for the longer sets to fit entirely upon them. This we are told will be the case until 2021 at the earliest. Another DMU, this time 158:849, was the latest to receive the livery of Arriva Rail North. The third week of the month had seen Colas Rail alternating motive power on the VTG tanker train. On Monday, the 18 th , the locomotive was 70:802 to be followed on Wednesday by 70:805. On Tuesday it was double-headed Class 56s and on Friday the pairing was 56:094 with 56:090 in tandem. April The feasibility study on the possible reopening of the Skipton to Colne section of the East Lancashire Line, as part of a review of cross-Pennine services was completed in December, 2018. The result was the Government felt that further studies would be needed into the possibilities for freight handling and the overall commercial viability of the scheme. Meanwhile, the Northern Powerhouse has been criticised for concentrating its efforts into projects which are biased toward the major city conurbations at the expense of those further away from Greater Manchester, Merseyside, South and West Yorkshire. From a total of 143 trains in their ownership, Arriva Rail North had now completed the refurbishment of just over half. Of these the following DMUs are - Class Total 150 37 155 5 156 30 158 10 170 8 This was described as “great news” by Ben Ackroyd, the company’s Engineering Director, but problems with the coupling system on the new CAF Class 195 units, has caused a delay in their testing until it is properly resolved. So far 14 of these three-car sets had been delivered to Edge Hill depot, Liverpool by the beginning of April. However, the company is still maintaining that all of the Class 142 Pacers will be retired by the end of 2019. Not one of these sets had been withdrawn by the end of the first month of this year, when it was predicted as many as 46 would be out of traffic. Colas Rail keep alternating the motive power on the VTG tanker train, with regular performer 70:809 on Monday, the 8 th , whilst on Wednesday, the 10 th , it was the combination of 56:078 and 56:113 in tandem. One of the reasons why there had been no through service to Blackpool South in early March was the necessity to replace a road bridge over the line at Lytham. There had been two weekend blockages whilst twenty-seven concrete girders were lifted into place to form the deck of this structure, although the roadway had still to be surfaced after the utilities had completed their work on the new bridge. Changes in Preston would still be required up until the commencement of the summer timetable in May on all trains to and from Hyndburn’s stations to the Fylde Coast. If Arriva Rail North’s refurbishment of DMUs goes hand in hand with re-liverying, then the following units have been returned to service in their new layouts - 150:102, 150:108, 150:126 ex-First Group and 156:424 ex-Northern. Despite support from Hyndburn’s MP Graham Jones, a bid for improvements for the disabled, people with prams and the elderly at Accrington Railway Station had failed. It was envisaged that the old footbridge would be replaced with a new one incorporating lifts on each platform. The bid, initiated by Community Rail Lancashire along with Arriva Rail Northern for funding to make these improvements was knocked back, the reason given being that the ‘Access For All’ scheme, was heavily oversubscribed and the amount of footfall and the statistics of disability for the area were less than those of other bidders. It was pledged that when further funding became available the bid for Accrington would be submitted once more. Graham Jones said, “I am highly disappointed that this worthy bid was knocked back”. More DMUs have been refurbished by Arriva Rail Northern and received the franchise’s livery, the ones in question being 150:125 and 150:133, the former ex-First blue, the latter from Northern.

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