The East Lancashire Railway is a 20km long historic railway based in Bury, Greater Manchester, in the Northwestern part of England. The line runs north from Bury to Ramsbottom and Rawtenstall through the picturesque Irwell valley, and East from Bury to the industrial town of Heywood.
During this series we visit the line several times between 2019 and 2023 for a number of special steam events. In addition to the regular resident fleet of locomotives, there are plenty of visiting locos ranging from large LMS 4-6-0 No 46100 'Royal Scot' to Caledonian Railway 0-4-4T No 419. In addition, we see rare images of the last kilometres the popular LNER A4 Pacific No. 60009 'Union of South Africa' ran before being retired.&nbsp;
Credits: Peter Murfet - For the Love of Steam

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Steam on the East Lancashire Railway

Season 1

We visit the line during the Autumn Steam Gala on Sat 15th October 2022, celebrating the centenary of the merger of the LNWR and the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway. Visiting from the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway are L&Y Class 25 No 52044 (famed for its role as The Green Dragon in the classic film The Railway Children), & LNWR Coal Tank No 1054. Resident locomotives seen in action are L&Y Class 23 No 51456, L&Y Class 27 No 52322, & SR West Country Class No 34092 'City of Wells'. Credits: Peter Murfet - For the Love of Steam

Episode 1: Autumn Steam Gala 2022

We visit the line during the Spring Steam Gala 2022 on Friday 25th February 2022. Visiting locomotives are ex-LMS 4-6-0 No 46100 'Royal Scot', and ex-GWR 0-6-0PT No 1501. Resident locomotives seen in action are L&Y Class 23 No 51456, L&Y Class 27 No 52322, Manchester Ship Canal 0-6-0T No 32 'Gothenburg', & ex-SR West Country Class No 34092 'City of Wells'. We spend the morning at the lineside around Lumb and Irwell Vale, then move through Nuttall Park in Ramsbottom to Brooksbottom viaduct in Summerseat for the afternoon. Credits: Peter Murfet - For the Love of Steam

Episode 2: Spring Steam Gala 2022

We visit the line during the Autumn Steam Gala 2021 on Saturday 16th October 2021. Featuring visiting GWR 4-6-0 7820 Dinmore Manor from the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, and Ivatt 2-6-2T No 41312 from the Mid-Hants Railway. Plus from the home fleet BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T 80097, Furness Railway Trust's GWR 56XX 0-6-2T 5643, Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-6-0 52322, L&YR 0-6-0ST 51456 (752), & Southern Railway Bulleid West Country 4-6-2 34092 City of Wells. Credits: Peter Murfet - For the Love of Steam

Episode 3: Autumn Steam Gala 2021

We visit the line during the Spring Steam Gala 2020 on Friday 6th March 2020, a little over 2 weeks before the UK entered its first Covid lockdown. Featuring visiting ex-GWR 0-6-0PT No 6412 from the South Devon Railway, and the first passenger trains since 1982 hauled by Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-6-0T 51456. Plus from the home fleet BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T 80097, Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-6-0 52322, Hunslet 2890 0-6-0 "Douglas", and LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 44871. Credits: Peter Murfet - For the Love of Steam

Episode 4: Spring Steam Gala 2020

We visit the line during the Spring Steam Gala 2019 on Sat 9th March 2019. Featuring visiting Caledonian Railway Mcintosh '439 class' 0-4-4T 419 from the Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway, and BR Standard 2MT 2-6-0 78018 from the Great Central Railway. Plus resident ELR locomotives Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-6-0 52322, Hunslet 2890 0-6-0 "Douglas", Furness Railway Trust's GWR 56XX 0-6-2T 5643, BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T 80097 & 80080, Manchester Ship Canal 0-6-0T No 32 'Gothenburg', ex-SR Bullied Pacific 34092 'City of Wells'. Credits: Peter Murfet - For the Love of Steam

Episode 5: Spring Steam Gala 2019

Ex-LNER A4 pacific No 60009 'Union of South Africa' has been a highly popular part of the UK preservation scene for decades. Now owner John Cameron has decided to retire the locomotive for static display in his new museum in Scotland. The locomotive's last trains were due to be in April 2022, however in early October 2021 a cracked boiler tube was discovered forcing its early retirement. No-one knew it at the time, but its final public trains were on Friday 3rd September 2021. Here we see the locomotive in action on the fateful day, operating alongside famed LNER A3 pacific No 60103 'Flying Scotsman', including rare footage of No 9's last ever public train. With English subtitles Credits: Peter Murfet - For the Love of Steam

Episode 6: The Last Day of 'Union of South Africa'

Season 2

24th February 2023 marked 100 years since legendary ex-LNER A3 pacific No 60103 'Flying Scotsman' first entered service as A1 class No 1472. A full year of events was planned to celebrate this centenary, starting with the loco on display at Edinburgh Waverley station. The loco's first public trains as a centenarian was on this visit to the East Lancashire Railway in March 2023. 'Flying Scotsman' is currently maintained and operated by Riley &amp; Sons of Bury, so the ELR is effectively its second home. The loco is seen from the lineside at a number of locations on Sunday 12th March 2023. Credits: Peter Murfet - For the Love of Steam

Episode 1: Flying Scotsman Centenary

All 77 of the classic Churchward designed GWR 4-6-0 'Saint' class were withdrawn between 1924 and 1953, and none of the survived in preservation. In order to fill this gap in GWR history and locomotive development, the Great Western Society purchased 'Hall' class 4-6-0 No 4942 'Maindy Hall' and rebuilt it as a new member of the 'Saint' Class. The locomotive was numbered 2999 and named 'Lady of Legend' and was completed at Didcot Railway Center in April 2019. The locomotive made an extended visit to the East Lancashire Railway in March and April 2023, where it made a splendid sight and sound storming up the steep Lancashire gradients. The loco is seen from a number of vantage points alongside the line on Sunday 12th March. Credits: Peter Murfet - For the Love of Steam

Episode 2: ‘Lady of Legend’

The East Lancashire Railway held its annual Autumn Steam Gala on 13-15th October 2023, and featured visitors 2-8-0 LMS 8F 48305 (courtesy of Great Central Railway) &amp; 4-6-0 LMS &lsquo;Jubilee&rsquo; 45690 &ldquo;Leander&rdquo; (courtesy of Jubilee Locomotive Company). Locos from the home fleet include 0-6-0 L&amp;Y 51456, 0-6-0 Hudswell Clarke 32 &ldquo;Gothenburg&rdquo;, 0-6-0 &lsquo;Jinty&rsquo; 47298, &amp; 4-6-2 SR 34092 &ldquo;City of Wells&rdquo;. Amongst the main highlights was the longest mixed freight train the ELR has ever run! Credits: Peter Murfet - For the Love of Steam

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