Community support needed for funding bid to repair viaduct on East Lancashire Railway route

Photo: FoxPix

The Higher Woodhill Viaduct is in Burrs Country Park

Local heritage railway the East Lancashire Railway is calling on the tens of thousands of visitors who enjoy riding on its trains all year round to lend their support to secure government grants that will allow for over £1m of repairs to be carried out.

The East Lancashire Railway operates from Bury, running on a 12.5-mile route between Heywood and Rawtenstall, having opened as a heritage railway in 1987.

One of the leading visitor attractions in the north west, repair work needs to be carried out to the Higher Woodhill Viaduct, on the edge of Bury in Burrs Country Park, where last major maintenance work took place in 1932.

The East Lancashire Railway says “maintenance work is required to the viaduct in the next 12 months” and repairs are “required to allow for the continued level of use of steam and diesel trains.”

The estimate for this work is £1.28million, with grants anticipated to cover the vast majority of these costs.

However, to secure many of these grants from the government’s Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, it is required that the East Lancashire Railway demonstrates that it has the support of the community that use and love it.

That’s the reason the railway is now calling on the tens of thousands of visitors who enjoy riding on its trains all year round to show how much they care via an online appeal.

The heritage railway hopes to raise £50,000 as it is required to contribute 20% of the grant funding via match funding so it can seek a £1million grant from the Community Ownership Fund for the repairs.

If unsuccessful with the grant bid, all funds donated by the community will be used for repair of the viaduct in association with the ELR Trust objectives.

Mike Kelly, Chairman of East Lancashire Railway, says: “As well as our trains, the track, the signals, the tunnels and bridges are all part of the immaculately preserved history that our visitors love so much.

“It is right that the trains get most of the attention, but in truth they’re only part of the overall picture. The viaduct is one section of the line that people remember fondly from their visits to the railway.

“At this vital time, we need as many people as possible to show us their support. We have an online fundraiser where every single pound donated will make a difference. Added to that, every visitor's comment about the beauty, history and authenticity of the railway will also support the case for this restoration project.”

Donations towards the ELR’s £50,000 target can be made via JustGiving: www.justgiving.com/campaign/supportourviaduct