East Lancashire Railway returns with Sulzer style

AFTER BEING closed since Christmas for track renewals, the East Lancashire Railway launched its 2022 season with one of its popular diesel theme days, making use of the railway’s extensive collection of Sulzer locomotives. In use at the event were D5054 Phil Southern, 25279, 33108 Captain Bill Smith RNR, 45108, D1501 and 47765, although the weather was typically seasonal, with rain showers throughout the day.

The ELR remains as one of our heritage railways that regularly uses its fleet of heritage modern traction locomotives throughout the year on service trains, as well as hosting diesel events and theme days.

The main diesel weekends for the railway this year are taking place on June 30 to July 2 and September 16/17, with the popular annual DMU weekend happening on November 12/13.

Tom Mcatee Tom Mcatee Chris Gee Looking wonderful following its repaint into BR blue last year, 25279 stands on Platform 4 at Bury Bolton Street on the East Lancashire Railway, reflecting on the day’s activities as daylight fades. The Peak Locomotive Company’s Elr-based 45108 arrives into Platform 2 at Bury Bolton Street station, hauling the 11.00 Rawtenstall to Heywood service on February 12 with a rake of matching blue and grey coaches. Standing at the head of the ELR’S dining train, D5054 Phil Southern brought the dining stock up to Bury Bolton Street station in the early evening of February 12 at the end of the Sulzer-themed day, although the evening dining train was worked by one of the railway’s steam locomotives.