A Decade Of Steam: East Lancashire Railway DVD | Steaming Around Yorkshire Film Production

Sit back and re-live the last decade at the East Lancashire Railway, this 4-disc DVD features over 4 hours of action including over 40 steam locomotives.

The East Lancashire Railway was first opened in the 19th Century to serve the mill, quarry and mine owners along the two routes that passed through Bury Town. In 1846 the north-south route opened, which allowed services to run from Manchester to Bolton. The north-south line passed through Radcliffe, Bury, Ramsbottom, the Irwell Vale, Summerseat and Rawtenstall. The east-west route opened in 1841 as a branch of the Manchester to Leeds Railway from Castleton to Heywood, the line was later extended to Bury in 1848.

Passenger services were withdrawn between Bury and Rawtenstall by British Rail on the 3rd June 1972, however coal services to Rawtenstall continued until 1980 with a formal closure in 1982. The East Lancashire Railway Trust reopened the line on 25 July 1987 with an initial service operating between Bury and Ramsbottom. In 1991 the service was extended northwards from Ramsbottom to reach Rawtenstall, via Irwell Vale. A further extension was opened in 2003, with services extended to Heywood.

Today, the railway runs for a total of 12½ miles from Heywood to Rawtenstall, passing Bury, Summerseat, Ramsbottom and Irwell Vale, passing through the picturesque scenery of the Irwell Vale.

Throughout this four disc DVD, sit back and enjoy the sights and sounds of many different steam engines, at various events and at locations along the railway from Heywood to Rawtenstall, from the last 10 years.

2010:

The winter of 2010 featured the two annual steam events, the first in January which featured visiting engines BR 8F No.90733 and LNER K4 No.61994 'The Great Marquess', the second in February featured SR N15 No.30777 'Sir Lamiel' and BR 7MT No.70013 'Oliver Cromwell'. 2010 saw the first visit of newly built locomotive LNER A1 No.60163 'Tornado', which ran alongside visiting engines BR 5MT No.73129 and LMS 5MT No.45337 at the autumn steam gala.

2011:

2011 was kick-started with the annual steam events in January and February. The first event in January featured visiting engines LMS 2MT No.46443 and BR 5MT No.73129, the February event also featured visiting engine BR 4MT No.80072. 3P20 photo charters are included from both the winter and autumn events featuring LMS 2MT No.46443, BR 4MT No.80072 and LMS 5MT No.45231 'The Sherwood Forester'.

2012:

Winter 2012 saw the railway welcome two visiting locomotives, sole-surviving SR No.850 'Lord Nelson' and LMS 5MT No.45231 'The Sherwood Forester', both of which headlined the January and February steam events. The autumn steam gala featured LNER B1 No.61306 'Mayflower' and LNER N2 No.1744. 3P20 photo charters are included from both winter and autumn steam events featuring LMS 7F No.43935, 0-6-0ST WD132 'Sapper' and LNER B1 No.61306 'Mayflower'.

2013:

Starting the 2013 in style, the January steam gala featured visiting locomotive SR West Country No.34046 'Braunton' and a snow covered railway. The February event featured visiting locomotives LNER K1 No.62005, LNER K4 No.61994 'The Great Marquess' and LNER N2 No.1744. During July 2013, the railway held a special anniversary event to celebrate the 45th Anniversary since the end of steam in the UK, visiting the railway and re-creating the final service 1T57 was BR 7MT No.70013 'Oliver Cromwell'. 3P20 photo charters are included from both winter and autumn events featuring LMS 5MT No.44871, LMS 7F No.43935 and LMS 8P No.46233 'Duchess Of Sutherland'.

2014:

2014 saw LNER B1 No.61264 and BR 4MT No.76084 visit the railway for the annual winter steam gala. The summer saw the return of LMS 'Crab' No.13065, now running in LMS Crimson Lake livery, which headlined at the autumn steam gala alongside LNER A4 No.60007 'Sir Nigel Gresley' and LNER A4 No.60009 'Union Of South Africa'. A 3P20 photo charter is included from the winter steam gala featuring LNER B1 No.61264.

2015:

The winter of 2015 saw the return visits of LNER K4 No.61994 'The Great Marquess' and BR 5MT No.73129. Joining the railways fleet of locomotives, SR West Country No.34092 'City Of Wells' arrived at the railway during the summer and headlined the autumn steam gala alongside GWR 64xx No.6430. A 3P20 photo charter is included of SR WC No.34092 'City Of Wells' in August 2015 at Irwell Vale.

2016:

January 2016 saw the long awaited return of LNER A3 No.60103 'Flying Scotsman', running for the first time since overhaul, 'Flying Scotsman' hauled services at the East Lancashire Railway over two weekends, drawing the crowds from far and wide.

2017:

The opening of the 2017 season saw the return of BR 4MT No.76084 which headlined the spring steam gala. Over the summer season, the railway was joined by visiting locomotives GWR 69xx No.6990 'Witherslack Hall' and GWR 0-6-0ST No.813.

2018:

2018 saw the return of LNER A3 No.60103 'Flying Scotsman' at the railway, now running in BR Brunswick Green, the locomotive once again drew the crowds. The autumn steam gala featured visiting locomotives GWR 28xx No.2857 and GWR 42xx No.4270. A 3P20 photo charter is included of Lancashire & Yorkshire 'A Class' No.1300, running in BR Black No.52322, in the snow during February 2018.

2019:

The 2019 spring steam gala saw BR 2MT No.78018 visit from the Great Central Railway. LNER A4 No.60009 'Union Of South Africa' visited the railway during May 2019 including the annual war weekend. A 3P20 photo charter is included from October 2019, featuring SR WC No.34092 'City Of Wells' hauling the dining coaching stock.

2020:

The 2020 season started with a visit from LNER A4 No.60009 'Union Of South Africa', running across several weekends of January before resuming mainline work. A 3P20 photo charter is included of freshly overhauled Lancashire & Yorkshire 0-6-0ST No.51456.