Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

There were changes to the timetable of trains introduced in April and these were as follows - The 5:30am Accrington to Colne would not stop at Burnley Barracks. The 8:45am train from Manchester to Colne would now include a stop at Baxenden. The 12:45pm train from Manchester to Colne would now include stops at Huncoat and Hapton. The 2:45pm train from Accrington to Preston would be retimed to leave at 2:50 and not stop at Cherry Tree, Pleasington, Hoghton or Bamber Bridge. The 3:57pm train from Accrington to Ramsbottom would now include stops at Baxenden and Helmshore. There would be an additional train at 2:12pm from Accrington to Blackburn and Preston. The 10:37pm Accrington to Manchester train would now include stops at Baxenden and Helmshore. The 11pm Salford to Accrington would now run on Saturdays only. May On the 20 th , the Tuesdays and Fridays special express known as the ‘Market Train’ was due to depart Church Station at 9:45am to take local businessmen to the Manchester Markets. At 9:40 the empty stock which forms this train was being shunted close by the engine sheds, and the locomotive had been uncoupled to run around the carriages when they began to roll down the line behind it. On reaching the crossing points they caught up with it smashing into it with great force. The leading coach, a brand new 1st Class carriage had its first two compartments smashed into pieces, whilst the next coach was also damaged the third and fourth less so. The engine lost its dome, whilst of the three men on the footplate, driver William Cronshaw and guard Schofield were badly shaken, but were able to continue with their duties, whilst the fireman was unhurt. Passengers waiting at Church were brought to Accrington in a service train, whilst another train was substituted to convey them onwards to Manchester. The damaged caused was estimated to cost £200 to repair. June On the 2 nd , the new line between Blackburn and Hellifield was opened as far as Gisburn, with a new station at Chatburn. There were more alterations to trains serving Accrington for July as follows - There was a new train from Blackburn to Accrington at 9:11am. Additional trains on Sundays were the 08:55 from Colne to Bury via Accrington, a 12:30pm Padiham to Accrington, a 2:25pm from Accrington to Chatburn, a 4pm from Accrington into Yorkshire and a 6pm from Normanton to Accrington. On Wednesday, the 30 th , employees of the L & Y in Accrington met at the Hargreaves Arms Hotel on Manchester Road, for the presentation of a gold purse and illuminated address to Mr Goodier, the licensee and former Superintendent at Accrington Station. The presentation was made by Mr Thomas Taylor of Accrington. Goodier had started work as a porter on the East Lancashire Railway Company’s Salford Station in 1847, and had migrated to Accrington during 1856 in the capacity of a shunter working on Baxenden Bank, from which he had progressed through the ranks. August The 21 st , 22 nd and 23 rd , were the dates of the Great Harwood Annual Fair, and as usual the L & Y had offered cheap fares on excursions to Lytham, Blackpool and Southport on the Saturday. One was the 7:20 from Great Harwood with a return from Blackpool at 6:10pm. This well-filled train was coupled to a second coming through from Accrington whilst standing in Blackburn Station, departing again at 8:05. Stopping only at Preston, Lytham and South Shore, the train made good time arriving at its destination at 9:20. The returning train was just a few minutes late departing Blackpool Central, but made so many stops on the journey that it was 8pm when it arrived back in Blackburn, where to the consternation of the Great Harwood trippers, they were required to detrain and wait for the 9pm service train to take them on the last leg. As a result about 200 people had to wait on the platform, whilst staff including the Station Master protested ignorance about these arrangements. November All of Accrington’s drivers, firemen, guards and signalmen were given eyesight tests on Sunday, the 23 rd , in order to ascertain if they could distinguish between colours. Thankfully all of the Accrington men passed, but all new recruits would have to take these tests before they could have employment by the L & Y. Another train to be introduced was the 9:25am from Accrington into Yorkshire. There were two new trains from Normanton to Accrington at 10:05am and 11:50am.

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