Date: 30/12/2011

TWO East Lancashire MPs have secured a House of Commons debate, calling for better rail services to and from Manchester. Blackburn MP Jack Straw, and Darwen MP Jake Berry will make the case for improvements to the Clitheroe to Manchester line - which also goes through Blackburn and Darwen - and the need for doubling the track between Blackburn and Bolton. [From Mark Bartlett]

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MPs win parliamentary debate on widening rail line between Clitheroe and Manchester

Lancashire Telegraph

TWO East Lancashire MPs have secured a House of Commons debate, calling for better rail services to and from Manchester.

Related images

Appearances can be deceptive. Darwen looks like a deserted station on a double track line but in fact a sizeable number of Saturday shoppers had just joined 156472 heading north towards Blackburn on 23 July. The two tracks are actually a long passing loop, the only one on the ten mile single line section between Blackburn and Bromley Cross.
Location: Darwen
Company: Blackburn, Darwen and Bolton Railway (Bolton, Blackburn, Clitheroe and West Yorkshire Railway)
23/07/2011 Mark Bartlett

Entwistle is a remote request stop halt on the Lancashire moors. It is now on the single line between Darwen and Bromley Cross but there used to be four tracks between here and the summit at Sough Tunnel. Another passenger line went to the left of what was an island platform with two goods lines where the relay room now stands. In this view looking north in July 2011 all is quiet as 150268 calls on a Clitheroe to Manchester service.
Location: Entwistle
Company: Blackburn, Darwen and Bolton Railway (Bolton, Blackburn, Clitheroe and West Yorkshire Railway)
23/07/2011 Mark Bartlett

A Class 150 and 153 combo departs north from Clitheroe ecs to Horrocksford Junction on 30 July 2011. At the junction the pair will cross to the up line and return to the station to form the next service to Manchester Victoria.
Location: Clitheroe
Company: Blackburn, Clitheroe and North Western Junction Railway (Bolton, Blackburn, Clitheroe and West Yorkshire Railway)
30/07/2011 John McIntyre