Accrington to Stubbins Lost Rossendale Railway. East Lancashire Rly

An interesting walk exploring a line closed for over 50 years with a lot of the infrastructure in situ.
This line was on the Clifton Junction to Accrington line which had opened in stages between September 1846 and August 1848.
Closing completely on 14th. September 1966.
This section of line was originally promoted by the Blackburn, Bury, Accrington & Colne Extension Railway this was absorbed into the East Lancashire Railway (ELR).
By 1845 the ELR was in the final stages of building a line from Clifton Junction to Rawtenstall via Stubbins. The aims of the ELR and the BBACER were so much in alignment, to create a route from the east Lancashire area to Manchester, that a merger of the two companies was seen as the best way forward. The economy of the local towns & settlements, was expanding as the cotton industry - both spinning and weaving in this town - grew and prospered, promising rich financial rewards for the railway.
Helmshore station opened along with the entire 7.4 mile section of line between Stubbins Junction and Accrington on 17th August 1848, the line from Stubbins to Clifton Junction having opened nearly two years previously on 25th September 1846. The line required heavy engineering works and had severe gradients as it ascended from about 450ft to the summit of 771ft at Rising Bridge in only 2½ miles. From Accrington there was a lengthy climb at 1 in 40, easing to 1 in 47, and then 1 in 100 through Baxenden to Rising Bridge. From Haslingden the gradient was 1 in 76 downhill, slackening to 1 in 97 through Helmshore station, continuing down at 1 in 78 to Stubbins Junction. The goods yard was sited behind the southbound (up) platform and comprised four sidings, one of which passed through the goods shed that backed onto the platform. A 10-ton crane was installed. One of the sidings was private serving the adjacent Albion Mill with direct access into the mill from a small turntable. There were further sidings on the down side of the line, one serving J. Porritt & Sons. The station was located towards the south of the village at Helmshore Road level crossing. The line was double track so the station was provided with two platforms located north-west of the crossing.The passenger facilities were on the Manchester-bound platform, where the building featured paired, round-headed windows and a slate hipped roof, extended forward to provide a small awning. The main entrance led directly onto Helmshore Road.The goods shed was adjacent to the passenger building, a few yards to the north.
Haslingden station was located on the northwest outskirts of the town, at the north end of the 146-yard Haslingden (or North Hag) Tunnel. As the line was double-track the station was provided with two platforms. The main station buildings were located east of the line on the Manchester-bound platform. An approach road led to the main entrance of the station from the junction of Bridge Street and Booth Street.
The main building was a long, single-storey stone built structure, with paired round-headed windows and recessed areas serving as passenger shelters on the platform. The slate hipped roof projected a short distance over the platform to provide an awning. On the Accrington-bound platform a long ridge-roofed timber shelter, amply supplied with windows, was provided. A lattice-pattern footbridge linked the two platforms at the south end of the station. The station also possessed goods facilities including sidings and a goods shed located east side of the line, a little north of the station.
Baxenden station was located some distance south of the village, closer to Rising Bridge. As the line was double track it was provided with two platforms. The main station buildings were located east of the line on the Manchester-bound platform. The main building was a smart single-storey stone structure. The platform elevation featured a recessed waiting area, flanked by wings which were pierced by paired round-headed windows. A slate hipped roof projected forward, supported by wooden brackets, to form a small awning. On the Accrington direction platform a small timber shelter with a slated hipped roof was provided. In later years a lattice-pattern footbridge was added to link the two platforms. There were extensive sidings on both sides of the running lines, south east of the station. The large stone goods shed with its adjacent 10-ton crane was immediately east of the passenger station, and, further to the east, sidings served a cotton mill, later to be taken over for the manufacture of Holland’s Pies. (This firm, now part of Northern Foods, operates from modern premises, the imposing former mill building having been demolished.) To the south west of the running lines sidings served two chemical factories. (Nichol's Chemicals) and other sidings served The Lancashire Brick and Terra Cotta Co, and Baxenden Colliery.
Filmed by Allan Roach

[@johnwhitworth5166]

The present ELR had their HQ at Helmshore station with a view to re open the line towards Baxenden . However the Local Council were not interested and the ELR moved to Bury. The trackbed then became the Haslingden By Pass. Bet they are kicking themselves now.

[@simonstebbings6701]

U forgot the Tottington line unless already mentioned

[@railwaychristina3192]

Super stuff! I love the way the viaduct branches off at Stubbins. Baxenden is indeed now the site of fabulous Hollands Pies! I wrote to them and they kindly gave me a history of the station.

[@Katmando376]

It's a lovely route.I have cycled it many times.🚴🚂

[@deedoor30]

Hey pal If you go to the front of the Tesco, they left some of the rail on show within the pavement.

[@idiotdriversonourroads]

Having grown up played round the old railway lines in Haslingden Helmshore and know area very well even though I don't live there anymore nice to see how it's been taken care of

[@riotious-net222]

Absolutely brilliant video mate

[@tonystack7375]

Another splendid video Alan,what a beautiful line through Rossendale and down to Accrington.

[@matthewcollins57]

Superb footage and sorry you got stung by nettles. Keep up the good work! We need more people like you!

[@johnslattery6194]

At last we can now go to manchester through the Todmorden curve took 35+ yrs

[@NOMADCREATIVESOLUTIONS]

Theres more left than i expected, i hadnt realised it branched at Stubbins and ran paralell a while either. Along with the bacup route i imagine this would have been a nice journey to take in its day.

[@DaysofHorror]

The owner whose gates you came to in Helmshore doesnt take kindly to people wandering along that abandoned stretch of line just off Ravenshore Viaduct from all account. He owns that part of land and yet he (Dunn), just leaves it too overgrow. We covered the story of the Helmshore rail crash of 1860 and tried to contact the owner with a view to taking photos of the old line, but we could never get in touch with him. Neighbours tho do tell of how fed up he is of people wandering around his land 🤷 However, I did the same walk as yourself a couple of years ago 👍 As for the steps in Helmshore, this used to be an archway that we demolished sometime in the late 80s or early 90s. They basically converted this archway and the steps are the end result. Something tells me the archway had become unsafe and was a danger to those walking underneath it. Great video my friend, just subbed to your channel.

[@BobbinsB]

Another good Video again, love these keep them coming. Seem to remember walking the route back in the early 70's, set aside a day, probably only took a couple of hours to "Accy" then the train home change at Blackburn. All the structures were intact including the Tunnel, cast iron bridge Accrington end and even through Helmshore where who ever bought the Signal box seemed to have purchased the land as well but it was still "walkable" apparently without Trespassing or scaling fences. I was shocked by the changes and overgrowth as I remember going to a "Fund Raising Fete" or something at Helmshore back in the 60's were the P\way and infrastructure still very much intact. (although stripped bare by the time I walked it) Even in the 70's there was still a good deal of Railway Memorabilia just laying around quite a number of Enamel signs on old Doors and walls etc. Pity they have built Houses and roads all over the old track bed. I think they should really just make most of the Old Lines in to Cycle ways or Walking paths so if they do change their mind and take off the "Beeching Blinkers" its not going to take much to re-open, a handy little route but alas hard to justify now with Blackburn to Victoria via "Accy" going over Copy Pit or the Single line via Darwen. The Semi-fast (limited stops) services delivering the Passengers to Manchester in roughly the same time as if the route was still open pre-Metro link.

[@simonballard6413]

Which tunnel - wasn't there one at Haslingden?

[@BobbinsB]

Yeppers that one, I was back in the UK back half of last year and I was going to revisit but seeing as Allan did it and other things were going on I never bothered alas@@simonballard6413

[@seany84uk]

Great work once again!

[@ianeccles111]

Just to put you right, Tesco are on the old sidings location , but before Tesco there was a government Skill Centre which retrained the unemployed.

[@therossendalerambler-mikei7294]

As a lad I knew the guy who operated the signal box in Helmshore he was the bag carrier for my cricket club Haslingden. He was called David McWade sadly no longer with us. I spent many an hour in there with my dad watching him pulling the levers.

[@stuyates76]

Super video Allan.

[@scottyg7284]

Enjoy all your vids, wish you could do your vids on the old lines up here in Scotland.

[@Bessie2]

Great vid from an Accy one now in pompey

[@simondavids9438]

Brilliant as always 👌 👏 👍

[@jacobwhitcombeCNC]

You know any info on the line which went from padiham to read and then over the martholmgrange visduct? I grew up in baxenden so was always down "the lines" as we use to call it! But im over in padiham and they have a similar set up with an old disused line but the interesting part js that the viaduct in padiham is sinking so they've had to close it

[@itisunusual6412]

Great video. Would love to know the role of those steps in Helmshore. They are too far from station but appear to br part of the viaduct

[@daveholt8422]

That line should never have been shut as you can see from the queue of traffic heading to and from Manchester during peak commuter times. Interesting fact is that it was a well used line for commuters but BR changed the timetable to make it unpopular as they wanted to close the line. The reasoning behind it was that a number of the viaducts needed work doing on them and they didn't want to spend the money on the line. In other words it was just cheaper to close it.

[@timwaywell]

agreed

[@jacobwhitcombeCNC]

18:29 if you had gone down the path, it opens to the bottom of an old chimney stack

[@JoshHodginsTrains]

They might get it back

[@timwaywell]

I thought the line was open until 1970

[@itisunusual6412]

I have often walked on the viaduct at Helmshore. Do you know if the steps just after the station you showed were connected to the station or had some other purpose? Thanks for the video

[@DaysofHorror]

Do you mean the steps just before the museum? If so, there used to be an archway that was part of the railway line. When they knocked that part down, they basically converted the old archway into steps as what is shown in the video.

[@itisunusual6412]

@Days of Horror yes. That is where I mean. Thanks for that it has answered a question I have had for a while

[@40022laconia]

40099