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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


653 images use this description. Preview sample shown below:

SD7914 : Steps to Chest Wheel Crossing by David Dixon
SD8021 : East Lancashire Railway: Diesel Train approaching Townsend Fold by David Dixon
SD8010 : Class 07 Shunter at Bury South by David Dixon
SD8012 : Sherwood Forester at Burrs Bridge by David Dixon
SD7916 : Steam Train at Ramsbottom Station by David Dixon
SD8010 : East Lancashire Railway Loco Sheds, Buckley Wells by David Dixon
SD7916 : Arriving at Ramsbottom Station by David Dixon
SD8022 : Turning the Wheels by David Dixon
SD7914 : Valiant by David Dixon
SD7914 : Summerseat Station (disabled access ramp) by David Dixon
SD8010 : 1940s Weekend, Bolton Street Station by David Dixon
SD8010 : ELR Summer Diesel Gala 2019 by David Dixon
SD8010 : Valiant at Castlecroft by David Dixon
SD7916 : East Lancashire Railway, Ramsbottom Station by David Dixon
SD8022 : Feldkommandatur Rossendorf by David Dixon
SD8010 : Bolton Street Station, Flying Scotsman in Steam by David Dixon
SD8610 : East Lancashire Railway, Heywood Station by David Dixon
SD8010 : Pacer DMU at Buckley Wells (East Lancashire Railway) by David Dixon
SD8010 : East Lancashire Railway Loco Sheds at Buckley Wells by David Dixon
SD8610 : East Lancashire Railway, Heywood Station by David Dixon
SD8010 : 103 Flying Scotsman at Bury - January 2016 by David Dixon
SD7915 : East Lancashire Railway, Brooksbottoms Tunnel by David Dixon
SD8010 : Leaving Bury by David Dixon
SD7912 : Burrs Station Plaque by David Dixon
SD8010 : Scotsman in Steam, January 2016 by David Dixon

... and 628 more images.

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