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Doc
Keeper of the Scrolls
2010 Posts
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06/10/2004
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13:12
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For Buggleskelly, read Barnoldswick
Robin Higgins
A FEW FRAYED and yellowing sheets of paper, which would be thrown away without a second thought by most people, sometimes open an interesting window into the past. This brief look at 'the good old days' shows that perhaps British Rail and the present-day restored railways are not so bad after all.
On 1 July 1937, the station master at Barnoldswick, Mr Williams, received a circular letter from the District Passenger Manager, Leeds, as follows; 'I shall be glad if you will let me have a report on the excursion facilities in connection with your holidays immediately same are over, together with any recommendations you may have to offer, so that consideration can be given to them when next year's arrangements are under review.
Please set the remarks down for each day separately, Period, Day, Half-day and Excursions to be shown under separate headings, and when reporting a train to be full, the number and type of coaches on the train should be given.'
Barnoldswick, with a population of around 12,000 at that time, was the largest cotton town in Yorkshire (think about that one), and the annual holidays coincided with the cotton towns of East Lancashire, Colne, Nelson and Burnley. Unfortunately, Barnoldswick was the terminus of a single-line branch from the former Midland's Skipton-Colne line, worked on the ‘one engine in steam' principle, and with the junction facing towards Skipton. At Colne, an end-on junction was made with the ex-L&Y, and consequently travel into Lancashire from Barnoldswick more often than not meant change at Earby, change at Colne. However, for a few days each July something more exotic than the push and pull to Earby was provided, and a number of through trains were run for the towns' annual holidays. Additionally, the push and pull connected with further specials at Earby.
Comparison between 1937 services and those of that last pre-Beeching year, 1962, show remarkable similarities. On the Friday evening there were trains to London, Glasgow, Liverpool (for the Isle of Man), the West of England, Yarmouth and Bournemouth via the Somerset & Dorset. These trains, generally hauled by goods locomotives, were run at modest speeds in order to arrive at their destination at a sensible time for breakfast, and some sleep was usually possible. No through trains to the South Coast were run in 1937, although two specials ran in 1962 to Portsmouth and to Brighton and Eastbourne. Conversely, by 1962, the formerly large traffic to local resorts such as Southport and Morecambe had been surrendered to road competition, leaving only Blackpool with a solitary Saturday morning train.
A pre-Golden Rail inclusive holiday was available in Torquay for £6 2s 9d (£6.14) including sightseeing tours and boarding house accommodation. Superior accommodation at a private hotel was an additional 17/- (85p). However, reflecting the depressed times of 1937, the LMS laid on a generous series of day, half-day and evening excursions to such places as far away as Llandudno for 6/6 (32 ½ p), and as near as Colne for 6d (2 ½ p).
Returning to 1937, the station master's report provides enough material for the reader to conjure up his own picture of piles of luggage, crowds of irate passengers and a harassed SM trying his best to cope, and quietly cursing 'them' down at Earby. At least a quarter of the population seems to have booked a ticket of some description during the holiday period and, while events were still clear in his mind, the station master reported as follows on Thursday, 22 July:
Period Bookings showing increases compared with last year to the following resorts. Blackpool, 600; Morecambe, 180; Douglas (IoM), 200; Fleetwood, 56; Scarborough and Bridlington, 90.
Day and Half-Day Bookings Satisfactory except that no half-day to Blackpool after Monday.
Weekly Contracts (Holiday runabout tickets) Increase of 72 from last year. Total issued 273.
'The operating side was very unsatisfactory, and our regular stock which worked the 6.10am was detached at Earby and 6.43am returned with only two coaches to work the 7.05am. Double trips had to be made to clear the passengers. This caused serious delays to all connections and inconvenience to passengers.'
The 7.05am was a regular working, arriving at Earby at 7.11, with a connection to Manchester. For 17 July, however, it was shown in separate leaflets as a through train to Heysham (for Douglas) and as a through train to Morecambe. Additionally, there were connections (via Colne) for Fleetwood and the North Wales Coast. But to continue, efficiency at Barnoldswick was turned into chaos at Earby that day in 1937 . . .
'9.40am passenger which contained passengers for Scarborough and Morecambe was loaded as follows: Morecambe in front and Scarborough and Bridlington in the rear. I understand that there was confusion at Earby and that a delay of 25 minutes occurred.'
What happened next at Earby amid this scene of confusion is lost in the mists of time, for Mr Williams at Barnoldswick continued breathlessly . . . 'The 10.02am up Earby did not run and no advice given of cancellation, therefore our 10.18am regular train which has connections for both roads, did not run, many passengers left the station and travelled to Skipton and Colne by road transport to meet connections. No train left here after 9.40am until 11.5am.'
Things may have gone smoothly for the next few hours, or the station master could just have been using a protracted lunch break to recover, for the report continues:
'5.10 Evex to Burnley on Saturday had only five coaches, passengers left here standing in compartments. 400 passengers were booked.'
The special 'Evex' fare to Burnley was 9d (3 ¾ p), compared with 1/6 (7 ½ p) cheap day, and passengers were required to return at 11pm from Burnley, a specially extended Saturdays only Colne-Barnoldswick train. The highlight of the week's cheap trips was a half-day excursion on the Thursday to Chester and Llandudno, a through train departing Barnoldswick at 11am and arriving at Llandudno at 3.12pm. The fare was 6/6 (32 ½ p) compared with 20/3 (£1.01) for a period return. Holders of town holiday weekly runabout tickets were allowed to travel free on this train, and many must have taken advantage of this offer. However, 'they' struck again . . .
'11am special to Llandudno did not arrive here, and our 253 passengers had to be loaded in branch set to Earby . . .'. The LMS did not commit itself to a return arrival time, but based on the outward timings, a 9pm departure should have arrived back by 1.15am. However, 'on the return they left Llandudno at 9pm but did not arrive here until 3.30am.'
Enough was enough, and having presented his evidence, Mr Williams summed up:
'May I suggest that the strengthening stock should be sent here instead of Earby in future; this had always been the practice until the last two annual holidays.
1 am afraid that we will suffer next year owing to the changing at Earby and the irregularities of stock working, but 1 am pleased to inform you that the approximate increase is £180.'
There the matter rested, until 15 October when Leeds wrote to Mr Williams. 'With further reference to the Barnoldswick holidays; I shall be glad if you will please let me have particulars of your bookings to Scarboro' etc and Morecambe, by the 9.10am train on Saturday, 17 July which train was delayed owing to passengers being mixed on arrival at Earby.' The impatient underlining being Mr Williams', who was clearly infuriated at this implied inference of responsibility. He replied, detailing the 91 bookings to Scarborough and 180 to Morecambe. 'Passengers were loaded as follows: Morecambe in front and Scarborough in rear, which were also labelled; therefore it was impossible for them to be mixed on arrival at Earby.'
Postscript. The Barnoldswick branch closed to passengers in 1965 and was lifted shortly after coal traffic ceased a year later. The Colne-Skipton line, planned during Mrs Castle's time as Minister of Transport to be the only retained passenger line out of Skipton, closed six years later. At Colne, a single line ‘siding' terminates at a bus shelter halt in distinctly non-splendid isolation amid acres and acres of abandoned railway land. Sic transit . . .
[Transcribed by Stanley Challenger Graham from the original article in the Railway World Annual for 1983. Reproduced by permission of the author, Robin Higgins of Barnoldswick.]
SCG/17 May 2004
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handlamp
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Posted - 07/10/2004 : 15:51
Anybody got a Midland Division W.T.T. for Saturday 17th July 1937? That would seem to be the only way to settle the question of the alleged chaos at Earby
Ted |
Callunna
Revolving Grey Blob
3044 Posts
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Posted - 04/11/2005 : 10:45
There's a meeting of Skipton and Pendle's MPs at the site of Thornton station at noon today (Friday 4 Nov) - all part of the growing force behind SELRAP (Skipton East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership) which aims to restore the rail link between Skipton and Colne.Click here for their website There has been opposition to this idea from various bodies (I won't mention who, nor will I cast nasturtiums on certain politicos who seem to change their mind depending on which way the wind is blowing...) but I applaud those who've had the courage and vision to explore this exciting plan. |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 04/11/2005 : 17:43
I'm all in favour of it and while they're at it why not a link into Barlick run by steam? Allied with the canal it would be a money-spinner.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 31/05/2006 : 17:33
Anyone know where we are at now with the SELRAP proposals?
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Ringo
Site Administrator
3793 Posts
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Posted - 01/06/2006 : 10:20
Have a look at http://www.selrap.org.uk/ for the latest news........somehow the site seems to have a welcoming layout.
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Another
Traycle Mine Overseer
6250 Posts
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Posted - 01/06/2006 : 10:38
Obi Wan, what does the site remind you of? Nolic
" I'm a self made man who worships his creator"  |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 01/06/2006 : 14:07
You're right, Maxportal software........
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 20/03/2010 : 14:37
Dragged this one back as well.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 20/04/2011 : 05:02
I watched Will Hay in the old film 'Oh Mr Porter' and remembered that the fictitious station he was put in charge of was Buggleskelly.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
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For Buggleskelly, read Barnoldswick
