Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

45:118. 37:409 was new to Cardiff Canton Sheds in March 1965 as D6970, later TOPS 37:270. It had been previously named Loch Awe then Lord Hinton . It had also worked for Direct Rail Services. 37:521 was new in March 1963 and allocated to Tinsley Sheds as D6817. It had also been named English China Clay , and was with Colas Rail. 45:118 was new to Derby Sheds in May 1962 as D67, and renumbered into the TOPS scheme in December 1973. It was withdrawn in May 1987 and went into private preservation. It carries the name Royal Artillery Man , and is kept au the Barrow Hill Roundhouse Museum. On Saturday the 18 th , West Coast Railway's ran a special from Lincoln to Carlisle. The locos on this were two of the 'regulars', 57:313 ' Scarborough Castle ' (formerly 47:371), with un-named 57:315 (formerly 47:234). On Wednesday the 21 st , the Colas Rail tanks were behind 56:302, which has been a regular in this turn during recent times. As a result of unusually high winds Northern Rail's train services were disrupted on Friday the 23 rd , especially those over the Pennines on the York Blackpool services, due to fallen branches and flooding. On the final day of the month West Coast Railway's was operating another of their special trains, this time from Kingston upon Hull to Carlisle via Carnforth, where steam would take over. The usual combination of 57:313 ' Scarborough Castle ' with 57:315 came through at 09:40 and would return later in the day. September Following an organised visit to Accrington Station in 2021 at the invitation of Community Rail Lancashire, a group of twenty Asian ladies have adopted the station.They will meet there every week to clean the platforms, arrange colourful floral displays and artworks. They also hope to convert the stations garden into a 'community space'. It is estimated that over 465,000 people pass through the station every year, and this work will create a good impression of the town. On two consecutive weekends this month, the service between Blackburn and Manchester Victoria will be replaced by buses between Todmorden and Rochdale, in order that a new bridge taking the railway over the M62 can be put in place. The closures also affect the Motorway as occupation of the site will be required from 9pm on Friday the 6 th to 6am on Monday the 9 th , and again from Friday the 13 th to Monday the 16 th . Probably as a result of engineering work in the Greater Manchester area, the Northern Rail Blackburn to Manchester service is starting from Rochdale. It is going around in the clockwise direction via Todmorden, Burnley Manchester Road, Accrington, Blackburn and Bolton to Victoria. Following a long and protracted dispute the train drivers have voted to accept a settlement to their claims for a pay rise. After many days lost through strikes, this agreement should be in place for the next three years. It has been the pledge of the new Labour Government to see an end to industrial unrest in several sections of the workforce. The Railway Maritime & Transport Union has also come to a settlement. On Sunday the 29 th Freightliner ran an engineering train from Bradley Wood Junction to Carlisle, passing through Accrington at just before 17:00. The locomotive was 66:510 hauling a long train of empty ballast wagons. This engine is the property of Evershot Rail and on hire to the company. October With the season for engineering works on the railways getting underway, on Saturday the 5 th a train conveying empty ballast bogey wagons passed through Accrington. It was hauled by Class 66:717 ' Good Old Boy ' of GB Railfreight, en route from Leyland Sidings to Doncaster Down Decoy and running over an hour late having been held in Blackburn. This locomotive also is leased from Evershot. On Sunday the 6 th the Network Rail weed-killing train passed through Accrington on a tour of the north west's lines. This would see it on a journey east to Todmorden and return in the early evening. The whole trip taking not far short of a full day. It had been noticeable that the tracks from the cricket field bridge towards town have been choked with grass and weeds for sometime now. On Wednesday the 16 th Colas Rail ran an inspection train around the region. Starting its journey in Crewe at 08:49 it ran via Manchester and the Airport, Piccadilly Station, Eccles, Newton-le-Willows, St Helens, Bootle, Liverpool Lime Street, then through Huyton, Rainhill and Eccles again to Manchester Victoria Station. Continuing on it then passed through Rochdale, Todmorden, Burnley Manchester Road and Rose Grove before reaching Accrington at 14:31. It terminated in Blackburn at 14:31 before returning along the same route to Rochdale, passing Accrington at 14:46. It then continued via Stalybridge, Guide

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