East Lancashire Railway

:"This article is about the present East Lancashire Railway, for the previous incarnation see East Lancashire Railway 1844-1859"

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

Overview

The line opened in 1987 operating a service from Bury to Ramsbottom via Summerseat. In 1991 the service was extended via Irwell Vale to Rawtenstall, and in September 2003 an eastbound extension from Bury to Heywood was opened. To reach Heywood, the line climbs a gradient of 1 in 36, and falling at a gradient of 1 in 41, to cross over the Manchester Metrolink system. The line is now just over convert|12|mi|km long, and has a mainline connection with the national railway network at Castleton. There are plans in the future to extend the running line further to Castleton.

The railway is open every weekend of the year and holds a number of themed events and galas throughout the year which include steam, diesel and Thomas the Tank Engine events, amongst others, and also offers driver experience courses. It is run by volunteer members from the East Lancashire Preservation Society (ELRPS), In 2001, The Railway was featured and in the finale of ITV's comedy series "The Grimleys", named "The Grimley Curse" then the finale of BBC One's award-winning drama series "Life on Mars" in 2007.

Railway Stations

Heywood
Bury Bolton Street

Summerseat
Ramsbottom

Irwell Vale"'
Rawtenstall

Locomotives

team

*Operational Steam Locomotives
**MSC Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T no. 32 "Gothenburg". (Masquerading as "Thomas The Tank Engine".)
**Peckett and Sons 0-4-0ST no. 1370 "May".
**L&YR 0-6-0 Class 27 no. 1300.
**LMS 0-6-0T Class 3F "Jinty" no. 47324.
**BR 4-6-2 Class 8P no. 71000 "Duke of Gloucester". (Passed for main line running.)

*Resident Steam Locomotives Currently Elsewhere
**Peckett and Sons 0-6-0ST no. 2000. (Recently moved to 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 North York Moors Railway. Passed for main line running.)
**LMS 4-6-0 Class 5MT "Black Five" no. 45407 "The Lancashire Fusiler". (Operating The Jacobite steam services. Passed for main line running.)
**LMS 4-6-0 Class 5XP "Jubilee" no. 5690 "Leander". (At the Great Central Railway. Passed for main line running.)
**BR 2-6-0 Class 4MT no. 76079. (Operating The Jacobite steam services. Passed for main line running.)

* Steam Locomotives Under Overhaul
**LMS 4-6-0 Class 5MT "Black Five" no. 44871. (Undergoing extensive restoration. New 'throat' plate has arrived; 'stay' renewal progressing well.)
**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 second half of 2008.)
**LMS 2-6-0 Class 5MT "Crab" no. 42765. (Boiler at LNWR Crewe for overhaul. Tender tank lifted off frames, 13/11/07.

* Steam Locomotives Under Restoration
**BR 2-6-4T Class 4MT no. 80097. (Progress slow but steady. Completion likely to be 2010.)

* 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.
**GWR 2-8-0 2884 Class no. 3855. (Recently purchased from the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway.)
**SR 4-6-0 Class S15 no. 30499.
**SR 4-6-2 West Country Class no. 34073 "249 Squadron". (Currently for sale in unrestored condition.)
**SR 4-6-2 Merchant Navy Class no. 35009 "Shaw Saville". (Currently for sale in unrestored condition.)

Diesel

*Operational Diesel Locomotives and DMU
**Motorail Simplex 4WDM no. 9009
**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. 33109 "Captain Bill Smith RNR"
**BR Co-Co Class 37 no. 37901 "Mirrlees Pioneer"
**BR 1Co-Co1 Class 40 no. D335
**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.)

**BR Class 101 unit 51192+54352 (101659 & 101693)
**BR Class 207 unit 1305 (207202 - formed of 60130+70549+60904)

*Diesel Locomotives Currently running elsewhere
**BR 0-6-0 Class 08 no. 08445 (Stored at Castleton, awaiting a decision on its future.)
**BR B-B Class 42 no. D832 "Onslaught" (Currently at the West Somerset Railway.)

*Diesel Locomotives and DMUs Undergoing Light Work, Overhaul or Restoration
**F. C. Hibberd 'Planet' 4WDM no. 3438 (Housed in the Bury Transport Museum. Undergoing restoration to working order. Power unit started May 2007 - blew cylinder-head gasket of No. 1 cylinder. Drive chain soaking in diesel to clean off rust and old grease. New oil and fuel filters to be sourced. Will take up the role as Wagon Works shunter.)
**BR 0-4-0 Class 01 no. D2956 (Undergoing repaint.)
**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 to be fitted in late 2008. Following successful testing, Summer 2009 return hoped.)

**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.)
**BR Co-Bo Class 28 no. D5705 (Next in line for restoration. Cabs currently being worked on. With D8233 outside Baron Street Loco Works.)
**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 B-B Class 35 no. D7076 (Undergoing repairs.)
**BR Co-Co Class 37 no. 37109 (Undergoing repaint.)
**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.)
**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.)

**BR Class 105 unit 51485+56121 (Under restoration in Buckley Wells carriage sheds.)
**BR Class 108 unit 50627/977853 (Under restoration at Castlecroft shed.)
**BR Class 122 unit 55001 (Under restoration at Castlecroft shed.)

*Stored Diesel Locomotives
**MSC Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0 no. 4002 (Drained and stored for the winter period. Can be used but requires work on power unit.)
**BR A1A-A1A Class 31 no. 31556 (Stored at Baron Street. Purchased by HNRC, awaiting disposal.)
**NIR Class 80 No. 8099 (Stored on section of 5'3" track at Castlecroft - bought as spares for 207202).

Electric

*Electric Multiple Units
**BR Class 504 unit 65451+77172

External links

* [http://www.east-lancs-rly.co.uk East Lancashire Railway website]
* [http://www.burydiesel.freeserve.co.uk ELR Bury Diesel Group website]
* [http://www.rileyandsons.co.uk Riley & Sons (E) Ltd, Owners of 45407, 76079 and 44871]
* [http://www.cfps.co.uk Class 40 Preservation Society, Owners of 40145 and D335]
* [http://www.royalscotsgrey.com No. 55022 'Royal Scots Grey']
* [http://www.d8233.org.uk Class 15 Preservation Society, Owners of D8233]
* [http://www.thesectionalappendix.co.uk/CLMVC01.html British Railways in 1960 - The ELR from Bury Bolton Street to Stubbins Jn.]
* [http://www.thesectionalappendix.co.uk/CLMVC01.html British Railways in 1960 - The ELR from Bury Bolton Street to Stubbins Jn. (Part of the route from Manchester Victoria East Jn. to Colne North) to ]
* [http://www.thesectionalappendix.co.uk/CLMVC07.html British Railways in 1960 - The ELR from Stubbins Jn. to Rawtenstall (Part of the route from Stubbins Jn. to Bacup)]