East Lancashire Railway Preservation Society

22/08/2026

Ride the Southern Night Goods at the Autumn Steam Gala!

Autumn Steam Gala 2026 - Ride The Goods, By Night! 🍂🌅🌙

On Saturday 17th October we are very excited to be running our period 1960’s Goods train late into the evening, watch the sunset over the Irwell Valley, before seeing sparks fly and steam fill the night sky…

Better still, we are offering the best seats in the house by riding on the two Brake vans in the train, these tickets will be a supplement fare and will go on sale with the general release of tickets next week but will be very limited places! The current itinerary for the brake vans is as follows:

17.15 Bury – Rawtenstall Bay Platform with O1 No. 65
18.40 Rawtenstall Bay Platform – Heywood with S15 30506
19.43 Heywood – Ramsbottom with S15 30506
20.20 Ramsbottom – Bury with S15 30506

There will also be another service running even later, so it’ll be a night to remember!

🎟️🎟️ Full details and ticket release for the gala coming next week, keep an eye on social media and our website: www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk/events-activities/autumn-steam-gala/

19/08/2026

The latest issue of the East Lancashire Railway Review is starting to arrive through letterboxes and available digitally now from the members section of the ELRPS website.

Thank you to all contributors for your articles and photographs. Highlights include:
- Reports from Bury Transport Museum, PWay, S&T and Carriage & Wagon Departments
- Feature on the return to traffic of Class 25 25279
- Loco Group Reports from Class 15 Preservation Society, 92 Squadron Update, Bury Standard 4 Group and Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Trust
- Events Review featuring Legends of Steam III, Day out with Thomas, Vintage Vibes, Flying Scotsman and Summer Diesel Gala

Visit www.elrps.co.uk to sign up for membership today

📸 Cover Photo: Tom McAtee.

11/08/2026

The ELRPS are delighted to be part sponsoring the movement of SECR 65 to the East Lancashire Railway for the 2026 Autumn Steam Gala.

This is the furthest north the soon to be out of traffic locomotive has travelled and a chance to compare Victorian six coupled motive power from the north and south, along with three generations of southern motive power with 65 joined by S15 30506 and West Country 34092 City of Wells.

Time to announce our third guest locomotive for this year’s Autumn Steam Gala! 💨🍂

SECR O1 No. 65 is venturing further North than it has ever done before, starring at our event! 🤩

No. 65 will be joining two other wonderful guest locomotives, S15 30506, GWR Pannier Tank 7714, and of course our fleet of home locomotives. Pairing the O1 with fellow Victorian L&Y ‘A Class’ will be quite a sight! 👀

A massive thank you to our friends at the Bluebell Railway for the loan of such a well-looked after locomotive, it’s always shining and we can’t wait to see it at the ELR!

🎟️🎟️ Our gala team are already working on some exciting timetables and plans for this event, tickets will be on sale very soon, keep an eye on social media and our website for further updates: www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk/events-activities/autumn-steam-gala/

06/08/2026

31/07/2026

This weekend, 1st - 2nd August, will see a 125 Group HST unit on service trains the East Lancashire Railway. Standard fares apply in standard class, including usual ELRPS Member tickets and privilege rates.

The train includes a First Class carriage, which passengers can use by paying a £5 supplement for one round trip. The supplement is payable directly to the TTI on board the train. Please note that members must also pay the £5 supplement should they wish to sit in the First Class compartment.

27/07/2026

We are delighted to announce our first guest locomotive for our Autumn Steam Gala! 💨🍂

Urie S15 No. 30506 will be heading to the East Lancashire Railway for the first time since 1993!🤩

30506 will be operating on an intensive timetable throughout the three day gala between 16-18th October 2026, starring alongside our home fleet locos as well as further guests to be announced soon!

We are very grateful to our friends at The Watercress Line and the Urie Locomotive Society for the loan of their locomotive.

🎟️🎟️ More details will be added to the website along with tickets going on sale soon, keep your eye on our page for further updates: www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk/events-activities/autumn-steam-gala/

25/07/2026

39 Years Today Since the East Lancashire Railway Reopened between Bury and Ramsbottom. Trains are running today (and there was an early one too with a HST set heading out to the main line early this morning) with City of Wells, 56006 and D9531 doing the honours.

Today marks 39 years since we reopened the line from Bury to Ramsbottom, and train movements today have started early with our friends from the 125 Group heading out to the mainline for the "The Citadel Circle" railtour to Carlisle.

If you want your chance to ride behind a HST on the East Lancs, next weekend, 1st & 2nd August, 43025 and 43159 are booked out on the diesel turn.

Before that why not join us this weekend, we have The Class 56 Group 56006 on the diesel diagram all weekend, with 34092 City of Wells on steam services (the steam turn is due to be diesel assisted due to fire risk, Class 14 D9531 is booked for this duty today).

For timetables and to book tickets visit: https://www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk/

20/07/2026

Back by popular demand! - Our next Lancashire & Yorkshire running day will be Saturday 8th August 2026! 🤩

We are celebrating the ELR’s Lancashire & Yorkshire heritage by running the service train double headed all day with two L&Y veteran locomotives, ‘A Class’ 52322 and 11456, a pair still going strong from the late 19th century and always putting on a good show!

We will also be offering taster driver experiences with ‘Pug’ 11243 around Bury Bolton Street station, these will be bookable on the day…

🎟️🎟️ Plan your day and purchase tickets in advance by going to our website: www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk/plan-your-day-out/

(Locos subject to availability)

03/07/2026

There are two more days of East Lancashire Railway Summer Diesel Gala action, featuring visiting 20303, 37610 & 58023.

If visiting this gala has inspired you to get involved and help with the continued preservation of the East Lancashire Railway, why not join us on one of our Volunteer Recruitment Tours. These are the perfect opportunity to visit different departments to help you decide what role you may want to volunteer for. We have upcoming dates on the 11th July and 22nd August.

Visit https://www.elrps.co.uk/volunteer-tours to find out more details and to book