Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

route to Hellifield then via the Ribble Valley Line to Blackburn, where the driver had turned around to head east along the East Lancs Line. The following day 56:078 was back again, this time as train engine on a pairing of Colas Rail’s 56s with 56:094 as lead engine. It was the first time for several weeks that two of this type of locomotive had been used as double-headers on the VTG tanks from Preston Docks to Lindsey Oil Refinery. On Thursday the 27 th , a Class 70 was back in charge with number 808 the train engine. On the last day of the month 70:809 was the engine in charge. February Of recent times the VTG tanker train has run on a more frequent basis, up to three times each week. On Monday the 7 th , Colas Rail’s Class 56s were back in charge with 56:302 leading 56:078. The Track Measurement Train was through Accrington heading east just before midnight on Thursday the 10 th . It was topped and tailed by two of Colas Rail’s Class 37 locomotives, 37:175 and 37:219. It would return during the early hours of Friday the 11 th . A series of storms with high winds had severely curtailed train services all across the country, which the lifting of corona virus isolation restrictions had done little to relieve, this meant there was little or nothing to report on the railways. Even the VTG tanker train had not run in the final weeks of the month. March On Tuesday March the 1 st , rail fares across the country went up by 3·8%, which was the largest rise for several years. Special trains have been thin on the rails in the early part of the year, but late (23:15), on Tuesday the 1 st , West Coast Railways came through Accrington with 57:314 and 57:316 in combination on an empty stock working from Bath Spa returning to Carnforth, which had emanated from London earlier in the day. The same combination of engines on the by now fixed set of West Coast Railways stock, was through Accrington again at 08:18 on Thursday the 3 rd . This time it was en route to Manchester Victoria for another Belmond Charter, before heading for Gleneagles. On Friday the 11 th , West Coast Railways were again operating another of their Pullman ‘specials’, this time the destinations would be to Oxenholme (for the Lake District), to be followed on by a visit to Edinburgh. On this occasion the train locomotive was 47:815 in the livery of two greens in which it was introduced in 1962. The banking engine on this occasion was 57:315. This loco was originally D1911 later 47:234 and was new in November 1965 to Cardiff Canton sheds. Leading loco 47:815 was new in July 1964 to Llandore sheds in Swansea. It was originally D1748, later 47:155 and 47:660, and in its time has carried three nameplates, Abertawe Llandore, Great Western and Lost Boys. Overnight the track measuring train had also passed through going east, returning later back west. For the first time in several weeks the VTG tanker train ran on Wednesday the 16 th . The scheduled states it runs “as required”, so it must be assumed it has not been in demand of recent times. The locomotive on this occasion was Colas Rail’s 70:813, which would be the loco for the remainder of the week. Without exception the VTG tanker train operated by Colas Rail, had come west from Lindsey Oil Terminal in the mornings at about 07:00, and returned east from Preston Docks at just before 11:00. However, on Monday the 21 st the schedule showed its westerly passage through Accrington would be at just before mid-day, with a return at approximately 15:00. This was the first occasion that this had happened to my knowledge and the train was back behind double-headed Class 56s, number 56:094 leading 56:078. This was an apparent late change and not a permanent rescheduling. West Coast Railways Were operating another of their special excursions from Manchester Victoria again on Friday the 25 th , with the empty stock passing through Accrington en route from their base in Carnforth. The lead loco on this occasion was 47:815 ‘ Great Western ’ in a reasonable version of the two tone green in which it was introduced, with 57:316 ‘ Alnwick Castle ’ bringing up the rear. This was a movement that came part-way through an eight-day tour of the country from London in the south east to Bath in the south west, as far north as Inverness and to York in the north east. The whole vacation, including most meals and hotel accommodation, was priced from £4,400 per person. April Friday the first day saw more locomotives through Accrington. First the VTG tanker train which only runs ‘as required’ made it second run a day after its first appearance this week. It was hauled by Colas Rail’s 70:816. This was followed in the early afternoon by West Coast Railway’s returning empty stock train from Liverpool Lime Street to Carnforth, via a rather roundabout route through Manchester. On this occasion regular 57:316 was the train engine with 47:848 on the rear. This was formerly D1652 which was built in Crewe and delivered in 1965 to Cardiff Canton Sheds. During the TOPS period it

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