East Lancashire Railway

The award winning East Lancashire Railway (ELR) runs from Heywood in Greater Manchester to Rawtenstall in Lancashire and is run by volunteers for the benefit of the public.

The original East Lancashire Railway opened in 1846, and linked to the Manchester - Bolton line at Clifton with Radcliffe before reaching Bury, some 6 miles to the north. The line continued along the Rossendale Valley, passing through the villages of Ramsbottom and Summerseat before reaching Rawtenstall. An "extension line" from Stubbins Junction ( just north of Ramsbottom ) to Accrington opened in 1848 whilst the Rossendale branch was extended in stages, to reach Bacup in 1852. The E.L.R. did not exist in it's own right for more than thirteen years, as it had been absorbed by The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. The latter was itself merged with the London and North Western Railway in 1922, before becoming part of the London Midland and Scottish Railway just twelve months later.

A trip on the East Lancashire