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This article is about the heritage East Lancashire Railway. For the 19th-century company see East Lancashire Railway 1844–1859

East Lancashire Railway
71000 'Duke of Gloucester' at Townsend Fold heads south towards Ramsbottom.
Locale	Lancashire/Greater Manchester, England
Terminus	Rawtenstall and Heywood
Connections	Network Rail (west of Heywood) Manchester Metrolink (south of Bury)
Commercial operations
Name	East Lancashire Railway
Built by	East Lancashire Railway 1844–1859
Original gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Standard
Preserved operations
Operated by	East Lancashire Railway Company
Stations	6
Length	12 miles (19 km)
Preserved gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Standard
Commercial history
Opened	1846
Closed	17 March 1980
Preservation history
25 July 1987	Service opened
1991	Extended to Rawtenstall
2003	Extended to Heywood

The East Lancashire Railway is a heritage railway in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, England.

Overview

After formal closure by British Rail in 1982, the line was reopened on 25 July 1987. The initial service operated between Bury and Ramsbottom, via Summerseat. In 1991 the service was extended northwards from Ramsbottom to reach Rawtenstall, via Irwell Vale ^[1]. Rawtenstall is the practical northern limit of the line as the formation on towards Bacup has been lost immediately north of the station. In September 2003 an eastbound extension from Bury to Heywood was opened. To reach Heywood the extension had to cross over the Manchester Metrolink line to Bury, at the site of the former Knowsley St. station. This necessitated the construction of a new intersection bridge, with steeply graded approaches of 1 in 36 and 1 in 41 nicknamed 'The Ski Jump'. The remainder of the extension includes a long section at 1 in 85, rising towards Heywood, as the line climbs out of the Irwell valley.

The heritage line is now just over 12 miles (19 km) long, and has a mainline connection with the national railway network at Castleton, beyond Heywood. There are plans to extend the running line further to Castleton in the future^[2]. Options for providing an interchange station at Castleton between East Lancashire Railway and National Rail services are currently being explored. A rail connection with the Metrolink line also exists, just south of Bury, at Buckley Wells. This was formerly the connection to the Electric Car Shops where the Class 504 EMU sets were maintained, and was created when BR services were diverted to Bury Interchange in 1980. There are plans to construct and open a station at Buckley Wells, between 2012 and 2015, by the locomotive shed^[3]. As the majority of the trackwork exists, the work will be relatively simple, requiring just a run round loop and building a platform. This will mean that the south end of the line will be more accessible to the disabled and elderly. A new car and coach park will also be constructed.

The railway is open every weekend of the year and holds a number of themed events and galas throughout the year which include steam and diesel events amongst others, and also offers driver experience courses. The Day out with Thomas events had to be withdrawn in 2009 when the ELR was unable to agree to increasingly onerous terms imposed by HiT Entertainment, the owners of the Thomas brand^[4]. These have been replaced with "Family Engines Big Day Out" events featuring engines with faces, such as "Jimmy the Jinty".

The railway is run by volunteer members from the East Lancashire Railway Preservation Society (ELRPS). Today over 60 individual steam and diesel locomotives reside on the railway, along with over 140 carriages, wagons and utility vehicles.

In 2001 the railway was featured in the finale of ITV's comedy series The Grimleys, named The Grimley Curse, and then the finale of BBC One's award-winning drama series Life on Mars in 2007.

Railway stations

Locomotives

The ELR has an extensive collection of large and powerful designs, many of which are main-line certified.

Steam

Jubilee Class 5690 Leander waits at Bury Bolton Street

• Operational steam locomotives
  • MSC Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T no. 32 "Gothenburg".
  • Peckett and Sons 0-4-0ST no. 1370 "May".
  • Andrew Barclay 0-6-0ST "Austerity" no. 2183. (running as Wemyss Private Railway No.15 'Earl David')
  • LMS 0-6-0T Class 3F "Jinty" no. 47324.
  • LMS 4-6-0 Class 5MT "Black Five" no. 44871. (Passed for main line running.)
  • BR 4-6-2 Class 8P No. 71000 'Duke of Gloucester' (Passed for main line running. Returned to service after heavy repairs.)

• Resident steam locomotives currently elsewhere
  • Peckett and Sons 0-6-0ST no. 2000. (At the Barrow Hill Roundhouse.)
  • LMS 2-6-0 Class 2MT no. 46441. (On 'static display' at the Ribble Steam Railway.)
  • LMS 4-6-0 Class 5MT "Black Five" no. 45231 "The Sherwood Forester". (At Great Central Railway. Passed for main line running.)
  • LMS 4-6-0 Class 5XP "Jubilee" no. 5690 "Leander". (Based at West Coast Railways, Carnforth. Passed for main line running.)
  • L&YR 0-6-0 Class 27 no. 1300. (Now moved to the Ribble Steam Railway.)

• Steam locomotives under repair or overhaul
  • LMS 4-6-0 Class 5MT "Black Five" no. 45407 "The Lancashire Fusiler". (Passed for main line running, stopped for boiler repairs.)
  • LMS 2-6-0 Class 5MT "Crab" no. 42765. (Boiler at LNWR Crewe for overhaul. Tender tank lifted off frames, 13/11/07.)
  • LMS 4-6-0 Class 5MT "Black Five" no. 45337. (Undergoing a ten yearly overhaul with boiler away at the Llangollen Railway for repair. Completion expected in 2010.)

• Steam locomotives under restoration
  • GWR 2-8-0 2884 Class no. 3855. (Restoration underway, to be painted in BR black when complete, completion expected 2016.)
  • BR 2-6-4T Class 4MT no. 80097. (Progress slow but steady. Completion likely to be 2013.)

• Stored Steam Locomotives Awaiting Overhaul or Restoration
  • Barclay 0-4-0ST no. 1. (Stored in Baron Street Loco Works due to clearance of Bury Transport Museum.)
  • LMS Ivatt Class 2MT 2-6-0 no. 46428. (Stored next to Bury South signal box. Painted 'Thomas' red.) (Due to start restoration when No. 80097 is finished.)
  • GWR 2-8-2T 7200 Class no. 7229.
  • SR 4-6-2 West Country Class no. 34073 249 Squadron. (For sale in unrestored condition.)
  • SR 4-6-2 Merchant Navy Class no. 35009 Shaw Savill. (For sale in unrestored condition.)

Diesel

D7076 Hymek passes under bridge 20 (Manchester Road) to Heywood

• Operational diesel locomotives and DMUs
  • Motorail Simplex 4WDM no. 9009
  • BR 0-4-0 Class 01 no. D2956 (Castlecroft Shed Pilot)
  • BR 0-6-0 Class 03 no. 2062 (Castlecroft Shed Pilot)
  • BR 0-6-0 Class 08 no. D3232 (Buckley Wells Pilot)
  • BR 0-6-0 Class 08 no. 08479 (Baron Street Works Pilot)
  • BR Bo-Bo Class 20 no. 20087
  • BR Bo-Bo Class 24 no. D5054 "Phil Southern"
  • BR Bo-Bo Class 33 no. D6525 "Captain Bill Smith RNR"
  • BR B-B Class 35 no. D7076
  • BR Co-Co Class 37 no. 37109
  • BR Co-Co Class 37 no. 37418 "Pectinidae"
  • BR Co-Co Class 37 no. 37901 "Mirrlees Pioneer"
  • BR 1Co-Co1 Class 40 no. 40145 "East Lancashire Railway" (Passed for mainline running)
  • BR Co-Co Class 47 no. 47402 "Gateshead"
  • BR Co-Co Class 50 no. 50015 "Valiant"
  • BR Co-Co Class 55 no. 55022 "Royal Scots Grey" (Passed for mainline running)
    

    

    55022 Royal Scots Grey Deltic resident mainline locomotive.
  • BR Co-Co Class 55 no D9016 'Gordon Highlander'
  • BR Class 101 unit 51192+54352 (101659 & 101693)
  • BR Class 121 unit 54289
  • BR Class 122 unit W55001
  • BR Class 207 unit 1305 (207202 - formed of 60130+70549+60904)

• Diesel locomotives currently running elsewhere
  • BR B-B Class 42 no. D832 "Onslaught" (Currently at the West Somerset Railway)

• Diesel Locomotives and DMUs Undergoing Light Work, Overhaul or Restoration
  • MSC Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0 no. 4002 (Receiving a repaint in to M.S.C Sheffield Green the loco will be out shopped in April.)
  • F. C. Hibberd 'Planet' 4WDM no. 3438 (Undergoing restoration to working order. Power unit started May 2007 - Currently outside castlecroft shed having engine work carried out. The bodywork is near complete. Will take up the role as Wagon Works shunter)
  • BR 0-6-0 Class 08 no. 08944 (Stopped after a big end failure over the August "Thomas" weekend)
  • BR 0-6-0 Class 08 no. D3867 (Stored pending remedial work on a traction motor and cooler group)
  • BR 0-6-0 Class 14 no. D9531 (Near completion. Side frames, bodyside doors and battery boxes now fitted. Two reconditioned exhausters fitted November 2007. Power unit fitted in late 2008. Following successful testing, Summer 2009 return was hoped but is now looking to be summer 2010.Currently located inside Baron Street Works)
  • BR Bo-Bo Class 15 no. D8233 (Restoration in progress. Currently located outside Baron Street Works. Cooler group room almost complete. Fan and fan drive gearbox returned after overhaul. Equipment room undergoing renovation. Generator set split from old power unit) Class 15 Preservation Society
  • BR Co-Bo Class 28 no. D5705 (Next in line for restoration. Cabs currently being worked on. With D8233 outside Baron Street Loco Works) Class 15 Preservation Society - Co-Bo News
  • BR Bo-Bo Class 33 no. 6536 (Under overhaul in Buckley Wells carriage shed. No. 1 end cab largely renewed with new metal work. Overhauled turbo returned, awaits refitting)
  • BR 1Co-Co1 Class 40 no. D335. (Out of traffic due to bogie problems. It is believed that the loco's segmental bearing has failed. CFPS have obtained a spare set of bogies whilst work is carried out.)
  • BR 1Co-Co1 Class 45 no. 45135 "3rd Carabinier" (Undergoing major work. Replacement of main engine bearings ongoing. Top-end of five cylinders have been stripped. Five cylinder heads and corresponding pistons have been removed. Four liners removed on (29/09/07). Loco moved to Baron Street for storage (21/11/09).
  • BR C-C Class 52 no. 1041 "Western Prince" (B-End transmission in the workshop having bearings replaced. Replacement of wasted metal on bodyside grills also underway). Loco now at Castlecroft shed under restoration. B-side engine is currently in Class 35 no. D7076.)
  • BR Class 105 unit 51485+56121 (Under restoration in Buckley Wells carriage sheds)
  • BR Class 108 unit 50627/977853 (On site for spares recovery only)

• Stored Diesel Locomotives
  • NIR Class 80 No. 8099 (Stored on section of 5'3" track at Castlecroft - bought as spares for 207202). Now converted to standard gauge and stored at Buckley Wells.

Electric

• Electric Multiple Units
  • BR Class 504 unit 65451+77172 (Stored at Buckley Wells carriage shed)

Gallery

Class 40 40145 "East Lancashire Railway" standing at Rawtenstall	LMS Class 3F 'Jinty' 0-6-0T No. 47324 at Bury Bolton Street station	Class 35 'Hymek' no D7076 departs Bury Bolton Street station with a service for Heywood	Class 42 'Warship' no D832 departs Ramsbottom with a service for Rawtenstall
Bury South Signal Box	D5054 Type 2 Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotive, Heywood to Rawtenstall	Visiting 9F 92214 on Bury to Heywood Service	Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Aspinall 0-6-0 '27' class locomotive number 1300 at Buckley Wells

References

External links

• East Lancashire Railway website
• ELR Bury Diesel Group website
• Riley & Sons (E) Ltd, Owners of 45407, 76079 and 44871
• 55022 'Royal Scots Grey' and D9016 'Gordon Highlander' Official Website
• Class 40 Preservation Society, Owners of 40145 and D335
• Class 15 Preservation Society, Owners of D8233
• British Railways in 1960 - The ELR from Bury Bolton Street to Stubbins Jn.
• British Railways in 1960 - The ELR from Stubbins Jn. to Rawtenstall (Part of the route from Stubbins Jn. to Bacup)

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Coordinates: 53°35′36″N 2°17′59″W / 53.5934°N 2.2997°W / 53.5934; -2.2997