Future of railway put under threat
THE future existence of the East Lancashire Railway (ELR) could be under threat from the “devastating” coronavirus fallout compounded by a major theft, say bosses.
The popular visitor attraction - which runs between Rawtenstall and Bury - closed its doors last weekend.
To make matters worse, thieves then stole up to £10,000 worth of brass and copper fittings from the railway’s Baron Street site on Friday, March 20.
As well as the replacement of the brass and copper fittings for the railway line, ELR will have to find additional resources to step up security.
Mike Kelly, chairman of ELR, said: “The closure and theft really do threaten our existence, so we would appeal to people, now more than ever, to support us and ensure we can reopen when this difficult period ends.
“Our heritage railway plays an important role in the lives of volunteers, our paid employees and visitors of all ages - providing a place of work, for people to socialise, meet fellow train lovers, learn about the past and generally enjoy themselves.
“While everything is being done to help protect this experience for generations to come, we are facing a very uncertain time, as keeping our employees, volunteers and the public safe may require us to close our doors for an extended period.”
Bosses are encouraging the public to give its support in ‘paying it forward’ and book to enjoy the railway at a later date so that the site is protected for generations to come.
An East Lancashire
Railway Support Fund has also been set up for the community to show its support with any donations.
The charity says it will now turn its attention to supporting their older volunteers with anything they may need at this time. Mr
Kelly added: “As a registered charity, this is devastating for us.
“We rely heavily on our generated income and this is highly likely to have severe financial consequences for us, but it is important we do our part to protect our employees, the
public, and particularly our older volunteers.”
Anyone with pre-booked tickets will be contacted directly by the passenger services team with details on how they are impacted and to rearrange or refund their visit.