CRL - Community Rail Lancashire

As a celebration of Railway 200 – 200 years since the start of passenger railways, there is a wonderful photographic exhibition on at the moment at Clitheroe Castle Museum’s Steward’s Gallery by the late Ken Roberts.

Ken was local to the Clitheroe Line having lived as a child by the railway line at Ramsgreave and Wilpshire station. He was also a well renowned railway photographer, with photographs often in national magazines. This is his first exhibition called ‘Tracks of Life’ featuring trains and people around them. It is a privilege to have worked with the Clitheroe Castle Museum, Ribble Valley Rail and CRL to bring this to life thanks to funding from the Community Rail Network’s Community Rail Development Fund supported by the Department of Transport.

As part of this railway exhibition, Lancashire children’s author, Susan Brownrigg came on Sat 14th Nov to talk about the Rainhill Trials – the topic of her recently published book, ‘Wrong Tracks’. It is a story based on the facts of the competition to operate the train across the first intercity railway between Liverpool and Manchester in 2029.

Claire Sutton, Museum Manager, reported that “Susan Brownrigg’s ‘Full Steam Ahead’ author talk was an absolute highlight! The audience found it both highly entertaining and wonderfully educational, leaving everyone inspired and engaged from start to finish.”

Tony Ford, Director of Community Rail Lancashire explained, “All the audience enjoyed a fascinating talk by Susan who gave us an insightful history talk about the Rainhill Trials on which her story is based with great opportunities for audience participation adding to the event. An enthralling event with opportunities for everyone to try on her character’s outfits too.”

Don’t forget to visit the exhibition if you haven’t done already. Come along on Monday 24th Nov at 11:30 to the Steward’s Museum and you can have a tour of the exhibition with Ken’s friends and custodian’s of  his photographs. All welcome.