East Lancashire Railway

  • Mogul and ‘Wells’ join the ‘Q’ at Severn Valley autumn spectacular

    Mogul and ‘Wells’ join the ‘Q’ at Severn Valley autumn spectacular

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    A DISTINCT Southern Region atmosphere surrounded the Severn Valley Railway’s (SVR) Autumn Steam Gala on September 19-22, with five of the participating locomotives having a BR(S) pedigree. East Lancashire Railway Bulleid ‘West County’ No. 34092 City of Wells was surprisingly making its first visit to SVR metals. The air-smoothed Pacific proved to be a popular draw,…

  • City of Wells sold to East Lancashire Railway after £320k fundraising success

    City of Wells sold to East Lancashire Railway after £320k fundraising success

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    Brighton-built ‘West Country’ Light Pacific No. 34092 City of Wells can officially call the East Lancashire Railway its permanent home.

  • ELR’s Type 2 back in action after lengthy overhaul

    ELR’s Type 2 back in action after lengthy overhaul

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    CLASS 24 No. D5054 Phil Southern returned to traffic during the East Lancashire Railway’s (ELR) Sulzer Theme Day on February 16.  It has undergone a heavy overhaul over the past nine years, which included a generator overhaul, to avoid failure, as well as attention to the bogies and power unit. Following completion, repaint in BR green…

  • ‘Hoover’ arrives at new Loughborough home

    ‘Hoover’ arrives at new Loughborough home

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    Class 50 No. 50017 Royal Oak – bought from Boden Rail by the Great Central Railway – has been delivered to the line and is set to make its debut at the April 13-14 spring diesel gala. The ‘Hoover’ was brought by road from Boden Rail Engineering’s new Nottingham Eastcroft site and is currently being…

  • Two Barry locomotives return in one weekend!

    Two Barry locomotives return in one weekend!

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    PRESERVATION history was made over the weekend of March 2/3 when two steam locomotives that have been restored to working order from Barry scrapyard condition were officially launched into traffic. It took a total of 77 years for BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T No. 80097 and WR 4-6-0 Modified Hall No. 6989 Wightwick Hall to be…

  • ‘Caley’ tank for NNR, East Lancs and Swanage lines

    ‘Caley’ tank for NNR, East Lancs and Swanage lines

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    THE Caledonian Railway’s No. 419 played a starring role at the Churnet Valley Railway’s Winter Steam Gala on February 23-24, and the Scottish Railway Preservation Society is capitalising on the 0-4-4T’s presence in England by adding in further visits to heritage lines. First up for the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway-based loco is the East Lancashire Railway’s…

  • Latest Barry returnee gears up for Bury spring gala

    Latest Barry returnee gears up for Bury spring gala

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    THE latest locomotive to be returned to steam after being rescued from Barry scrapyard will be launched into traffic during the East Lancashire Railway’s March 8-10 spring steam gala. BR Standard 2-6-4T No. 80097 moved under its own power on October 18 for the first time since July 1965 (HR 250), but was withdrawn again…

  • 2018 visitor numbers up as railways report another successful year

    2018 visitor numbers up as railways report another successful year

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    LAST Easter’s opening of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway’s (Gloucs-Warks) extension to Broadway has seen all passenger records tumble for 2018, witnessing a passenger figure increase of more than 40%.  Yet the Gloucs-Warks is not alone in reporting passenger growth, and the majority of the railways that responded to The RM’s enquiries prior to going to…

  • Loaded test runs for 80097 after hot ’box troubles

    Loaded test runs for 80097 after hot ’box troubles

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    RIDDLES ‘4MT’ 2-6-4T No. 80097 was back on test at the East Lancashire Railway as 2019 got underway, having been side-lined with axlebox problems in November. The Bury Standard 4 Group loco began running-in trials following its post-restoration appearance at the ELR’s October 19-21 Autumn Steam Gala, but had to be withdrawn on November 14 when…

  • Rossendale rail revival puts future of East Lancs Railway under threat

    Rossendale rail revival puts future of East Lancs Railway under threat

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    By Ben Jones TWO proposals to improve public transport links between Rossendale and central Manchester have thrown the future of the East Lancashire Railway (ELR) heritage operation into doubt. Rossendale Borough Council (RBC) is one of three local authorities which own the ELR trackbed and is driving forward plans to introduce regular peak-period commuter trains…

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