CRL - Community Rail Lancashire

Regular updates and any changes will be displayed here and other parts of the CRL website and via the Community Rail Lancashire Facebook Page.

REGULAR EVENTS

Every Saturday – Yorkshire Dales Explorer, a twice a day Saturday’s only service between Rochdale, Manchester, Bolton, Blackburn, the Ribble Valley and Ribblehead. Full details on Yorkshire Dales Explorer or via a weekly news item on the website.

Every Tuesday – Clitheroe Country Market, in the Church Hall on Moor Lane, Clitheroe BB7 1AZ, 09:30 – 12:00 – a country market with quality home-baked, hand-made and home grown produce. A wide selection of goods from a co-operative of local producers. Home-made cakes, pies and jams also handicraft items such as cards, knits and textile gifts. More details on https://www.facebook.com/Clitheroe-Country-Market-307301586087846/

First Thursday of every month – St. Anne’s Farmers Market, in the main square in St. Anne’s a monthly farmers market with locally and regionally produced food and drink on sale. Meet the people who grow, rear, make and bake your food. More details on www.visitlancashire.com/

Third Saturday of every month – Clitheroe Piano Meet Up, would you like to meet fellow players, share knowledge and develop your performance skills on a Bechstein grand? Then get along to Clitheroe Library on the third Saturday of the month 12:45 – 15:30 for more details contact Janet or Liz on clitheroepiano@gmail.com or download the poster on this link Clitheroe Piano Meet Up

Last Saturday of the month until October – Darwen Artisan Market – a celebration of creativity and community on the last Saturday of the month, at Darwen’s Monthly Artisan Market on the vibrant Darwen Market Square. Immerse yourself in the charm of this lively town and experience a delightful event that celebrates local creativity and craftsmanship.

Fourth Weekend of each month – Whalley Monthly Artisan Market, located in the heart of Whalley, this weekend market brings together art, design, fashion, vintage and much more from over 35 local North West creators, makers and curators. 10:00 – 16:00. Full details on this link: Whalley Artisan Market

Clitheroe Castle Museum. Opening hours are 11:00 to 16:00 daily. Details of this over 800 year old castle can be found on this link: lancashire.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/museums/clitheroe-castle-museum/

Platform Gallery – Ribble Valley Council’s premier showcase of local arts and crafts. Opening times Mon – Fri 10:00 – 17:00, Sat 10:00 – 16:30, Sun (seasonal) 11:00 – 16:00. Just minutes walk from the arrival platform at Clitheroe station. ribblevalley.gov.uk/platformgallery

Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery is open Wednesday to Saturday 12:00 – 16:45 with free admission. Please visit blackburnmuseum.org.uk/plan-your-visit/ for details.

OTHER EVENTS

Now and until 5 April 2026 – Forged in Steam – a new photography exhibition by Lancashire-based photographer Diane Muldowney, at Haworth Art Gallery, Accrington, with a public launch on Saturday 24 January, 12.30 pm to 4.00 pm. Presented as part of the national Railway 200 celebrations, the exhibition explores Britain’s railway heritage through the lens of labour, skill, and collaboration. Muldowney’s photography focuses not only on steam locomotives in motion, but on the people who keep them alive, crews, engineers, and volunteers whose knowledge and craft are forged through heat, effort, and time. Details of opening times at the Haworth Art Gallery on this link https://haworthartgallery.org/

Now and until 26 April 2026 – Tracks of Life: Trains, People and Places – in this Railway 200 year, this exhibition is curated in partnership with Ribble Valley Rail, Clitheroe Castle Museum and Community Rail Lancashire, with funding thanks to Community Rail Network/ DfT.  The exhibition celebrates the life and work of talented, professional local railway photographer Ken Roberts (1928–2024). Ken was a founding member of Ribble Valley Rail, established in 1986 to campaign for the reopening of the Blackburn to Clitheroe passenger line. The images selected for the exhibition reflect the breadth of Ken’s interests and lifelong passion for railways.  Also included are a selection of model trains and memorabilia. Free entry to the Steward’s Gallery at Clitheroe Castle Museum. Click the link here for more details lancashire.gov.uk/w/webpage/event-details?eventid=2725115

Saturday 24 January 2026 – a Community Rail Lancashire Guided Walk – a moderate 10 mile walk starting (09:56) and finishing at at Darwen. Darwen, Sunnyhurst, Sunnyhurst Woods, Earnsdale Reservoir, Witton Weavers’ Way, Tockholes Plantations, Slipper Lowe, Hollinshead Hall, Higher Pasture Barn Fm, Green Lowe, Top O’th Brow, Sugar Leach, Witton Weavers’ Way, Bold Venture Park, Darwen. You can find details of the route and about other walks on this link:  Community Rail Lancashire Guided Walks (July 2025 to January 2026). There are plenty of other self guided walks that you can do – check them out on this link: communityraillancashire.co.uk/walks/self-guided-walks/.

Saturday 31 January 2026 – Lancashire Rail Rambler Guided Walks – two guided walks led by volunteers from the Lancashire Rail Ramblers in the Parbold area. Walk 1 is a moderate C walk of 9 miles, alight and return Parbold. Walk 2 is a moderately easy D walk of 7 miles, alight Apperley Bridge and return Parbold. Full details on this link Lancashire Rail Ramblers Guided Walks January ’26 to June ’26

Tuesday 10 February 2026 – a Community Rail Lancashire Guided Walk – an easy 6 mile walk starting (10:20) Entwistle and finishing at at Bromley Cross. Entwistle, New House Farm, Turton & Entwistle Res, Yarnsdale, Fairy Battery, Witton Weavers’ Way, Clough House Farm, Turton Tower, Horrobin Fold, Jumbles Reservoir, Bromley Cross. You can find details of the route and about other walks on this link:. Community Rail Lancashire Guided Walks (February 2026 to July 2026)There are plenty of other self guided walks that you can do – check them out on this link: communityraillancashire.co.uk/walks/self-guided-walks/.

Saturday 14 January 2026 – Lancashire Rail Rambler Guided Walks – two guided walks led by volunteers from the Lancashire Rail Ramblers in the Ulverston & Dalton in Furness area. Walk 1 is a moderately strenuous B walk of 12 miles. Walk 2 is a moderately easy E walk of 7.5 miles, for both walks alight Ulverston and return Dalton in Furness. Full details on this link Lancashire Rail Ramblers Guided Walks January ’26 to June ’26

Monday 16 February 2026 – All Aboard! Railway Family Fun Day – Clitheroe Castle Museum, 12:00 to 16:30, Clitheroe Castle Museum and Community Rail Lancashire are marking 200 years of the modern railway with a free, action‑packed family day—bursting with hands‑on fun, creative activities and immersive railway heritage. Click here to see the poster CLH Castle Poster

Tuesday 21 February 2026 – a Community Rail Lancashire Guided Walk – a moderately easy 8 mile walk starting (09:50) and finishing at Wigan Wallgate The Wigan Way – Wigan Wallgate, Leeds & Liverpool Canal, Rose Bridge, Whelley Loop, Bottling Wood, Haigh Upper Plantation, Haigh Hall, Sennicar Lane, Leeds & Liverpool Canal, Hall Lane, Haigh Lower Plantation, River Douglas, Water Hayes, Wigan Wallgate.

Explore Lancashire By Rail

A series of films is being made for Community Rail Lancashire by a local creative film company Huckleberry Films which are designed to encourage people to Explore Lancashire by Rail. Details of this exciting project that covers the four CRPs across Lancashire can be seen on this page Lancashire-by-Rail/

Places to Visit

Click on the link here communityraillancashire.co.uk/local-places-to-visit/ to see a host of interesting places to visit that are close to CRL’s community rail stations.

Destinations

Click on the link here communityraillancashire.co.uk/destinations/ for a page of suggestions for places and towns to visit – all suggestions and content considered.

Make a Beeline for the Station

‘Make a Beeline for the Station!’ is a community marketing project, that combined the vital elements of local education and wider group engagement with tourism attractions and professional marketing. The project, funded by a Northern Seedcorn Grant and by the Community Rail Development Fund is designed to encourage use of Northern’s hourly weekday service from Preston to Ormskirk and then on into Liverpool using Merseyrail services.

The project is supported by a video that can be seen on this page: Make a Beeline for West Lancashire and a leaflet that can be downloaded here: Make A Bee Line

Discover the South Fylde Line

Discover the South Fylde Line is a brand-new line guide launched by the South Fylde Line Community Rail Partnership (SFLCRP) and Community Rail Lancashire (CRL) during Community Rail Week 2022. The leaflet takes you along the South Fylde Line from Preston to Blackpool South highlighting many things you can do along the line. The full leaflet can be viewed by clicking on this link: Discover the South Fylde Line.

Discover Amazing Women by Rail

Discover Amazing Women by Rail is a project initiated by the Mid Cheshire Line CRP and invites people to leave their car at home and use the train (along with buses and trams) to explore the fascinating, and often hidden, histories of women who lived and worked in areas along the Mid Cheshire and Calder Valley railway lines, including the Blackburn to Manchester via Todmorden route.

The project is supported with a website (www.amazingwomenbyrail.org.uk) by an A5 booklet available from local stations, tourist information offices and libraries. The booklet can also be downloaded using this link: Amazing Women by Rail

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