ACCRINGTON - East Lancashire

Coal and cotton imports brought prosperity to a large part of East Lancashire by the end of the 19th century and in order to serve this budding industrial area a network of railways was built between 1846 and 1852. These served Blackburn from both Bolton and Preston; Bacup and Accrington from both Blackburn and Bury and Burnley and Colne. All these routes were provided by the East Lancashire Railway. Links to other parts were provided by lines from Burnley to Todmorden and Colne to Skipton (Midland Railway.)  Later the Padiham Loop was built to relieve congestion between Blackburn and Burnley. 
As most of the Anglo-Scottish traffic went via Preston the East Lancashire routes were little more than branch lines.

Industrial decline and the growth of road transport, inevitably, resulted in closures.  First to go were the passenger services between Rochdale and Bacup (1947) followed by the Padiham Loop (1957) and the Hellifield line (1962).  The Burnley to Todmorden lost its local service but retained through holiday traffic.

This simulation layout has been produced using information from 1950's large scale O.S. maps of the area. At that time there were still a lot of private sidings and most layouts provided full operational facilities. Full steam engine facilities were available at Accrington and Rose Grove sheds.  Signalling diagrams for the area were few and far between when I started this simulation so I had to use my signalling knowledge and  provide what I felt was needed in order to provide the operating facilities to run the simulation timetable.

The layout at Accrington was triangular with platforms on two sides. In order to meet the requirements of the PC Rail operating program this has had to be provided as shown and in general 2-aspect colour light signals have been used. Also, as alternative routes between the same two locations are not facilitated within the program, trains on the Great Harwood Loop are timetabled to stop at Padiham Station (for a short time).

All sidings and platforms will allow trains longer than the available capacity to terminate (as was the case at this time).  (Longer trains may cause blocking of junctions etc.)

Capacities below are shown in chains -  locos and coaches are assumed to be 1 chain in length.  Goods wagons are assumed to be 1/3rd of a chain.

[In order to provide the maximum flexibility the capacities of wayside sidings and distances up to location 'Starter' signals is such that 20 chains capacity has been allowed.  Therefore the maximum length of non-through freight trains must not exceed 54 wagons and two locos.]

Accrington Station	Platform 1		=	12ch
					Platform 2		=	13ch
					Platform 3		=	10ch
					Platform 4		=	 4ch
					Platform 5		=	 9ch
					Platform 6		=	10ch
					Platform 7		=	 6ch
					
					Siding1 1 		=	4ch
					Sidings 2 & 3	=	3ch
Rose Grove Station	Through platforms	=	15ch
					Bay platforms		=	 5ch
Station platforms 	Gt. Harwood Jcn - Accrington (excl)	=	9ch
					Accrington (excl) - Rose Grove		=	7ch
					Burnley Barracks & Manchester Road	=	7ch
					Accrington (excl) - Ramsbottom		=	7ch
					Padiham Loop						=	7ch
Goods Shed Lines	Gt. Harwood Jcn - Accrington (excl)	=	9ch
Up & Dn White Birk				=	30ch
Accrington MPD 24A	Coaling Tower 1 & 2		=	1ch + 3ch	
					Coal Siding				=	6ch
					Stored Siding			=	3ch
					Shed Sidings	1 & 2	=	6ch
									3 & 4	=	5ch
									5,6 & 7	=	4ch
									8		=	2ch
Rose Grove MPD 24B	Coaling Tower 1 & 2		=	1ch + 3ch	
					Coal Siding				=	6ch
					Stored Siding			=	3ch
					Shed Sidings	1 & 2	=	6ch
									3 & 4	=	5ch
									5,6 & 7	=	4ch
									8		=	2ch

STARTUP SCREEN PICTURE

This is of WD class 2-8-0 locomotive no. 90291 on an Engineer's train in Accrington station. The loco was built by North British Locomotive Co in 1944. Its later sheds were Newton Heath and Rose Grove from where it was withdrawn in February 1965. 
 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
				
Local knowledge has been provided by Alan Duckworth who has also provided the standard timetable, together with much help from his friend Alan Martin. They have completed the associated detail and checked that it works!

This simulation has been developed over a couple of years and represents a flavour of 50's working in the heart of the former Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. I developed the layout from scratch and tried to ensure that it also works! Its development followed from a request by Alan and although the task took longer than expected we are both pleased by the result.  We hope that you will be also.

Richard Wade



