East Lancashire Line

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East Lancashire Line
LUECKE
  ( WCML )
HLUECKE ABZlg
  ( To Blackpool )
BHF
Preston
eABZlf exSTRlg
WBRÜCKE exWBRÜCKE
  River Ribble
exHLUECKE eKRZo exABZrd
  Whitehouse Jct ( WLR )
HLUECKE STRlg STR exSTR
  ( To Ormskirk )
eABZ_ld ABZrf exSTR
HLUECKE KRZo STRrf exSTR
  ( WCML )
HST exSTR
Lostock Hall
HLUECKE ABZlg exSTR
  ( To WCML )
eABZld exHHST exSTRrf
Todd Lane Junction
HST
Bamber Bridge
AKRZ-UKu
  M6
AKRZ-UKu
  M61
eHST
Hoghton
HST
Pleasington
exHLUECKE eABZlg
  ( To Chorley )
HST
Cherry Tree
HST
Mill Hill
HLUECKE ABZlg
  ( To Bolton )
BHF
Blackburn
TUNNEL1
  Blackburn Tunnel
ABZlf HLUECKE
  ( To Clitheroe )
eABZlf exSTRlg
TUNNEL2 exSTR
  Rishton Tunnel
HST exSTR
Rishton
STR exHST
Great Harwood
HST exSTR
Church & Oswaldtwistle
exHLUECKE eABZHSTrd exSTR
Accrington   ( To Bury )
HST exSTR
Huncoat
STR exHST
Simonstone
HST exSTR
Hapton
STR exHST
Padiham
eABZrg exSTRrf
HST
Rose Grove
HLUECKE ABZrf
  ( To Todmorden )
HST
Burnley Barracks
HST
Burnley Central
eHST
New Hall Bridge Halt
eHST
Reedley Hallows Halt
HST
Brierfield
TUNNEL2
  Brierfield Tunnel
HST
Nelson
eHST
Bott Lane Halt
xKBFe
Colne
exHST
Foulridge
exABZrg exBHFl
Barnoldswick (BR)
exBHF
Earby
exHST
Thornton-in-Craven
exHST
Elslack
xABZrg HLUECKE
  ( To Morecambe )
BHF
Skipton
LUECKE
  ( To Bradford )

The East Lancashire Line is a railway line in the Lancashire region of England, which runs between Preston and Colne, through Blackburn, Accrington and Burnley (Central and Barracks).

It is operated by Northern Rail. Services on this line stop at every station on the line. It was designated by the Department for Transport as a community rail line in November 2006.

[edit] History

The line was built by the Blackburn and Preston Railway and the Blackburn, Burnley, Accrington and Colne Extension Railway. Both companies were absorbed by the East Lancashire Railway on 3 August 1846 and 21 July 1845 respectively. The East Lancashire Railway was, in turn, absorbed by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway on 13 May 1859.

The line connected end-on at Colne with the Leeds and Bradford Extension Railway's line to Skipton and Bradford. This 11½ mile link closed in 1970. The Skipton - East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership campaigns to reinstate it.

[edit] Services

Trains from Preston to Colne usually begin at Blackpool South, on the Blackpool Branch Line, which makes the whole length of the line a total of 80 km (50 miles).

Caldervale Line express trains from Blackpool North operate on the line between Preston and Burnley (Manchester Road) stopping at Blackburn and Accrington heading towards West Yorkshire.

[edit] External links