Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

these included a trip from Blackpool North via Blackpool South and Preston to Colne, which of course included runs through Hyndburn. The locomotives chosen for these journeys were 37:676 ‘ Loch Rannock ’ and 37:516 ‘ Loch Liadon ’, the latter curiously also carrying fleet number 37:555. They passed through Accrington en route to Colne at 09:53 and returned through Huncoat at 11:00. Out of respect for the Royal Family at this time of mourning, the railway unions have suspended their intended strike action scheduled for Thursday the 15 th , and Saturday the 17 th . The walkouts have been rescheduled for Saturday, October the 1 st , and Wednesday the 5 th . It is more usual for the locomotive that operated on the VTG tanker train to remain on it throughout the week. However, on Monday the 12 th it was Colas Rail’s 70:815, whilst on the following day it was 70:810. Traffic across the Huncoat level crossing was being delayed for longer than usual whilst engineers were doing some maintenance to the automatic gates. The bridge which crosses the line at Meadow Top has not reopened after the major work was completed to its structure. On Tuesday the 27 th , West Coast Railways ran their Dalesman ‘special’ from Carnforth to Carlisle via the Ribble Valley and Settle and Carlisle routes. On this occasion the steam engine was 35018 ‘British India Line’ a rebuilt Merchant Navy 4-6-2 Pacific. It passed only a handful of miles from Accrington Grammar School where its designer, Oliver Bullied when Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Southern Railway, was educated. October On the morning of Friday the 7 th , the DRS Treatment Train came through from the east spraying weed-killer on the tracks, which in places required some application, whilst also removing any fallen leaves. It had been travelling to-and-fro across the region’s lines throughout the week. In the wee small hours two of West Coast Railways 47s had brought some empty stock back from York to Carnforth off another of their ‘special’ excursions. The VTG tanker train has had changing locomotive traction this week. On Monday the 10 th it was 70:805 and by Wednesday the 12 th this has changed to 70:807. The Paxton Street ramp to Platform 1 had reopened to passengers after it was decided to remodel it for easier disabled access. It had been closed since May the 9 th , last. The MP for Hyndburn and Haslingden who was present at the opening, had contacted the latest in the succession of Transport Ministers Kevin Foster, to petition for improvements to access at Church & Oswaldtwistle and Rishton railway stations. The Department for Transport had recently received 309 applications for funding in the ‘Access For All’ budget, which includes these Hyndburn stations. But it will be 2023 before the results are known. On Saturday the 15 th , Locomotive Services Ltd operated their ‘ THE STATESMAN’ special from Hull to Appleby, via the East Lancs Line. It passed through Accrington at 11:53 with D1935 ‘ Roger Hoskin MA 1925 – 2013 ’ as train engine, with D1924 ‘ Crewe Diesel Depot ’ on the rear. The train, consisting of eleven Pullman carriages including dining cars, would reverse in Blackburn to gain access via the Ribble Valley Line to the Settle & Carlisle. Both locos were in the original green livery in which they were delivered new. D1924 was new to Cardiff Canton Sheds in January 1966. It had carried three previous sets of nameplates and TOPS numbers, including 47:247, 47:655. It is currently dual-numbered 47:810. D1935 was new to Bristol Bath Road Sheds in March 1966. It had carried four previous sets of nameplates and TOPS numbers 47:257 and 47:650. It is currently dual-numbered 47:805. Both these engines are based in Crewe. On the return journey via a different route, this excursion would pass through Accrington again in the late afternoon. On the morning off Thursday the 22 nd , the locomotive on the VTG tanker train failed at Stansfield Hall Junction in Todmorden, blocking the line in the worst possible location as far as the cross-Pennine services connecting York and Blackpool North were concerned. As a result there was considerable disruption to the timetable on these services. Colas Rail despatched 70:803 light engine through Accrington later in the day to rescue 70:805. At about 24:00 on Friday the 21 st , 66:789 worked an engineering train of loaded ballast hoppers from Crewe Basford Hall to Rose Grove. This is a GB-Railfreight locomotive based at the ElectroMotive Diesel Services Depot at Roberts Road in Doncaster, and was formerly number 66:250. November The strike which was scheduled to take place on Saturday the 5 th was cancelled at the last moment. However, such was the lateness of this move that services were badly disrupted over the

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