CRL - Community Rail Lancashire

Events

Regular updates and any changes will be displayed here and other parts of the CRL website and via the @crl_live Twitter account.

REGULAR EVENTS

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

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

Now and going forward for 2023 – The Longitude Gallery Clitheroe, is based in the heart of Clitheroe in the Ribble Valley. Established since 2013, we represent Northern artists and selected artists from around the UK – more details on http://thelongitudegallery.co.uk/

Clitheroe Castle Museum has now reopened. 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/

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.

GENERAL EVENTS

Now and until 1st January 2024 – Blackpool Illuminations – the world-famous Illuminations need little introduction. With six miles of traditional festoons, tableaux and interactive features along the Promenade, no wonder it’s commonly known as the greatest free light show on Earth! Blackpool’s annual Illuminations display will once again be extended by two months, shining nightly to January 1st, 2024.

Now and until 31st January 2024 – Clitheroe Castle – On Track Exhibition – A glimpse into Lancashire’s railways past and present. Daily from 12:00 to 16:00 – this is a free event with full details on On Track Exhibition – This exhibition now extended until 31st January 2024 

Now and until January 2024 – Shaping The Future  – Lancashire Archives – come and explore our new exhibition and women’s lives in Lancashire through the county’s archive collections – find out more about some of the women who shaped our present. Shaping The Future examines Lancashire women at work, in politics and civic society, entertainment and recreation, home lives and through fashion. 10am-4pm Tuesday-Friday, Bow Lane, Preston, PR1 2RE until January 2024. FREE of charge. Bow Lane is just a 10 minute walk from Preston railway station.

Now and until March 2024 – Flotilla & Hoard of Hoards at the Lancaster Maritime Museum – two fantastic exhibitions in the Lancaster Maritime Museum on St. George’s Quay, the city’s main18th Century harbour – full details on visitlancaster.org.uk/museums/maritime-museum/ and there is a small entry charge of £3 for adults.

Saturday 2nd December 2023 to Saturday 20th January 2024 – The Landing: Sefton Artists – The Landing in The Atkinson in Southport will be showcasing affordable art work from leading regional artists. Open Monday – Sunday 10:00 – 16:00. FREE entry.

Saturday 2nd December 2023 – Rail Ramblers Guided Walks – two walks led by the Lancashire Rail Ramblers in the Carnforth & Silverdale area. Walk 1 is a moderately strenuous 12 miles alighting at Carnforth and returning from Arnside. Walk 2 is a moderate walk of 9 miles alight at Carnforth and returning from Arnside. Full details of these and other guided walks can be seen on Lancashire Rail Rambler Guided Walks Summer/Autumn 2023.

Saturday 2nd December 2023 – Messiah, Blackburn Cathedral – a performance of The Messiah by Blackburn Music Society & The Cathedral Players. 19:00, Tickets £16 under 19s free but booking essential on ticketsource.co.uk/blackburn-music-society

Tuesday 5th December 2023 – Community Rail Lancashire Guided Walk – an easy 7.5 mile walk led by volunteers from the Lancashire Rail Ramblers. The walk starts at Pleasington (10:44) and finishes at Darwen – full details on CRL Guided Walks Summer/Autumn 2023

Tuesday 5th December 2023 – Discover Early Tudor England 1470- 1547 – a Lancashire Adult Learning event at Clitheroe Castle Museum. 13:30 – 16:00 a FREE event but booking essential on events.apps.lancashire.gov.uk/w/webpage/event-details?eventid=143105

Wednesday 6th December 2023 – Clitheroe Concerts Society – Jack Campbell (piano) plays excerpts from Scriabin, R. Nathaniel Dett, Janáček & Chopin. Sixth Form Centre, Clitheroe Royal Grammar School, York Street, Clitheroe – 19:30, tickets £20. More information on clitheroeconcerts.org/season-2023-24/jack-campbell/

Saturday 16th December 2023 – Combined CRL & Lancashire Rail Ramblers Guided Walk – an easy 7 mile walk led by volunteers from the Lancashire Rail Ramblers in the Parbold area. The walk starts at Parbold (10:05) and returns from Gathurst. Full details on CRL Guided Walks Summer/Autumn 2023 or Lancashire Rail Rambler Guided Walks Summer/Autumn 2023.

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 can be seen on this page Lancashire-by-Rail/

Places to Visit

Click on the link here communityraillancashire.co.uk/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

DEFINITELY DON’T GO HERE