Welcome to Community Rail Lancashire
Due to the current coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic restrictions Community Rail Lancashire, in accordance with government and Community Rail Network guidelines, and in common with practice across the rest of the community rail world, has decided that we will close our office at Accrington station until further notice.
CRL staff are all working from home and can be contacted by email using the addresses and mobile phone numbers that can be found on The Team page under the About Us navigation button at the top of the page or by clicking this link. Please DO NOT use the office phone (01254 386579) as this will remain unattended for long periods of time.
Lancashire is a county of contrasts. Explore the delightful coastal areas of the Fylde and Morecambe Bay with dramatic views across to the Lakes; the historic towns and cities such as Lancaster and Ormskirk and discover the quiet countryside of the Ribble Valley and Pendleside dominated by Pendle Hill.
Exploring Lancashire by rail can be fun and educational as well!! Did you know that Clitheroe has what may be the smallest castle keep in the country or that Colne host’s one of the largest Rhythm and Blues Festivals in the world? There is so much to see, enjoy and learn and it can all be reached using Lancashire’s community rail network.
Community Rail Lancashire (CRL) and its four constituent Community Rail Partnerships (CRPs) have been awarded accreditation by the Department for Transport.Accreditation is formal recognition by the Department for Transport that the partnership operates to a high standard and that its objectives and activities are supported by the Government. Further, the Government considers the partnership a good representative of Community Rail Lancashire’s communities.
The 8 Lines of Lancashire
Lancashire has five community rail partnerships (CRPs) that cover a total of nine lines or routes and these form one of the biggest groups of CRPs in the country.
- DalesRail Line
Blackpool North to Carlisle - South Fylde Line
Preston to Blackpool South - Clitheroe Line
Clitheroe to Manchester Victoria - West of Lancashire Lines
Preston to Ormskirk, Wigan Wallgate to Southport & Wigan Wallgate to Kirkby - East Lancashire Line
Preston to Colne - Bentham Line
Leeds to Morecambe - Todmorden Curve
East Lancashire to Manchester & Salford via Burnley
Down the Line, an innovative railway education portal! To find out more click the button above.
Latest News
Community Rail Lancashire Annual Report 2020
A record of the work of CRL and its 4 CRPs. Posted 09.04.21
New Hanging Baskets At Preston Station
Baskets help 'light' up the station. Posted 08.04.21
CRPs Set To Help Local Railways To Recover
Following the Covid-19 pandemic. Posted 30.03.21
Make a Beeline for the Station
‘Make a Beeline for the Station!’ is a community marketing project, that combines the vital elements of local education and wider group engagement with tourism attractions and professional marketing.
The project is supported by a video that can be seen on this link: Make a Beeline for the Station and a leaflet that can be downloaded here: Beeline Leaflet
Discover Amazing Women by Rail
Discover Amazing Women by Rail is a project that invites people to leave their car at home and use public transport to explore the fascinating, and often hidden, histories of women who lived and worked along some of the routes in Lancashire, Yorkshire & Mid Cheshire.
This project is supported by a website (www.amazingwomenbyrail.org.uk) and by an A5 booklet that can be downloaded using this link: Amazing Women by Rail. A short film can be seen about Ethel Carnie Holdsworth on this link https://youtu.be/uhCtTsOw6yA