The East Lancashire Railway...

Evening all. Today saw me and my dad pay a visit to the East Lancashire Railway, a a 12 ¹⁄₂-mile heritage railway line in North West England. The reason for the visit was to see John Cameron's LNER A4 Pacific 60009 "Union of South Africa" in operation on the railway, for what could be the final time before her boiler ticket expires in April this year. This following the announcement that John Cameron had decided to retire both of his engines from service at the end of their boiler tickets, with his intention being to display both engines in a museum building at his farm in Scotland.

After a 6am start, we arrived at Bury Bolton Street Carpark for just after half 8-9am in the morning. With tickets purchased we made our way onto the platform as 60009 brought her empty coaches into the platform from the carriage sidings.

After a failed attempt at photographing No.9 behind a cloud of steam, I decided to get some close up photos of her name & number plate as well as the crest on her cabside, before joining my dad on the train ready for a run up the line to Ramsbottom.

With a slight delay leaving Bury, our train set off for Ramsbottom with stops at Burrs Country Park & Summerseat before arriving at Ramsbottom where we left the train before meeting up with my good friends Andrew & Ian.

On arrival at Ramsbottom, we were joined by Andrew and Ian and after a brief discussion, we decided to film 60009 on her next outward run to Rawenstall, leaving my dad to catch the train back to Bury where we would meet for lunch before catching the final trip of the day behind 60009. With our video shots complete it was time to head back to Bury for lunch before catching a ride behind the Streak.

"Steamy arrival"

Lunch finished it was time to wander back over to the platform to wait for 60009 to arrive, and before long she could be seen as she entered Bury Bolton Street Station in a pretty impressive steam display, a note to be added is the wreath that had been placed above her nameplate in memory of one of the ELR volunteers who had sadly passed away prior to event. Now safely onboard, it was time to sit and relax and enjoy the journey up the Irwell Valley behind the streak, with stations stops at Burrs Country Park, Summerseat, Ramsbottom and finally Rawenstall, it was a pretty impressive trip up the line behind the A4, the old girl making her voice heard across the valley.

The brief run round at Rawenstall provided the chance to get some extra video footage and this photo of No.9 while she was being coupled to her train for the return to Bury, before long it was time to get back onboard from the journey back to Bury, with the journey pretty much the same as the outward I won't bore you with it... however the return journey sees trains stop briefly at Bury Bolton Street before navigating the sharp left hand curve onto the Bury Ski slope over the metro line and on to Heywood, where the ELR services terminate. The line actually continues future onto the mainline at Castleton, but this is the end of the line for ELR services.

"Union of South Africa" (Pic - N.Bonner)

Before long we arrived at Heywood where once again 60009 ran round her train for the final time before retracting our steps back to Bury in pitch black. On arrival back at Bury it was time to get a few more photos of No.9 before saying our good byes and heading home. Thanks to Andrew and Ian for their company throughout the day and a special big thanks to my dad for agreeing to take me to ELR, Once again....another fantastic trip out.Cheers all, Jake...