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The East Lancashire Railway (ELR)

The East Lancashire Railway (ELR) is a heritage railway based in Bury. It is currently (as at July 2022) operating between Rawtenstall and Heywood, with intermediate stations at Bury Bolton Street, Burrs Country Park, Summerseat, Ramsbottom and Irwell Vale, respectively.

The original East Lancashire Railway LinkExternal link opened in 1844, beginning as a railway from Clifton via Bury to Rawtenstall. It was later amalgamated with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. Parts of the network remain in use today, and the section of the original line between Bury and Rawtenstall is now operated by the heritage railway.

After formal closure by British Rail in 1982, the line between Bury and Ramsbottom, via Summerseat was reopened on 25 July 1987 as a new heritage railway. In 1991 the service was extended northwards from Ramsbottom to reach Rawtenstall, via Irwell Vale and in 2003 an eastbound extension from Bury to Heywood was re-opened. To reach Heywood the extension had to cross over the Metrolink line to Bury, at the site of the former Bury Knowsley Street 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 heritage line is now just over 12 miles long, and has a mainline connection with the national railway network at Castleton, just beyond Heywood. The ELR plans to extend the running line further into Castleton in the future, to where a new (and separate) platform named "Castleton Village" will be constructed adjacent to the main station itself (LinkExternal link Manchester Evening News).

The railway is run by volunteer members from the East Lancashire Railway Preservation Society (ELRPS). The railway is well known for its collection of diesel locomotives which reside on the railway, along with over 140 carriages, wagons and utility vehicles. It 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.

LinkExternal link East Lancashire Railway Website
by David Dixon

Created: Tue, 8 Jul 2014, Updated: Fri, 1 Jul 2022


654 images use this description. Preview sample shown below:

SD7910 : East Lancashire Railway Loco Yard at Buckley Wells by David Dixon
SD7916 : East Lancashire Railway, Ramsbottom by David Dixon
SD7919 : East Lancashire Railway near Irwell Vale by David Dixon
SD7916 : Thomas and Friends, The Great Marquess by David Dixon
SD7913 : East Lancashire Railway, Burrs Country Park by David Dixon
SD8010 : East Lancashire Railway, Bolton Street Station by David Dixon
SD8010 : Flying Scotsman in Wartime Livery by David Dixon
SD8010 : Flying Scotsman at Bury, Bolton Street Station by David Dixon
SD8010 : Scotsman in Steam, East Lancashire Railway by David Dixon
SD8010 : A Day Out with Thomas, Daisy the DMU at Bolton Street Station by David Dixon
SD7916 : Ramsbottom Station by Stephen McKay
SD8010 : East Lancashire Railway, Bury South Junction by David Dixon
SD8010 : Morris Men at Bolton Street Station by David Dixon
SD8010 : East Lancashire Railway, Bolton Street Station by David Dixon
SD8010 : Standard Class 4 Locomotive 80097 by David Dixon
SD7916 : Class 45 Diesel Approaching Ramsbottom by David Dixon
SD8010 : Bolton Street Station, East Lancashire Railway by David Dixon
SD7914 : East Lancashire Railway, Railcar at Summerseat by David Dixon
SD8010 : East Lancashire Railway, Knowsley Street Bridge by David Dixon
SD7916 : City of Wells at Ramsbottom by David Dixon
SD8610 : East Lancashire Railway by JThomas
SD7916 : Ramsbottom Railway Station by David Dixon
SD8010 : Bury South Junction and Signal Box by David Dixon
SD8010 : Class 20 Diesel at Castlefield by David Dixon
SD7915 : GWR 2857 Crossing Brooksbottoms Viaduct by David Dixon

... and 629 more images.

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