The 2012 DalesRail Walks Programme is now available to download – with around 155 guided walks available there is one suitable for everyone!

Click HERE to see the full 2012 programme or visit www.dalesrail.com/downloads for more information.

The spring 2012 guided walks programme is now available to download from the website. The programme is a series of Saturday walks accessible from the Bentham Line (Leeds to Morecambe). Click HERE to see the programme.

The brochure for the DalesRail 2012 season is now available as a download from the DalesRail website at www.dalesrail.com/downloads. Printed copies will be available from the normal outlets shortly.

Projects to improve three of the stations on the South Fylde Line have got underway. The projects are part of Fylde Borough Council’s Lytham St. Annes 2020 Vision and linked to the 2012 Open Golf Tournament that is being held at the prestigious Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club in July. To see the full details please click HERE.

Northern Rail have advised us that there will be two new services introduced in East Lancashire with the May 2012 timetable changes.

On the Clitheroe Line there will be a 23.24 service (Mon – Sat) from Clitheroe to Blackburn calling at Whalley, Langho, Ramsgreave & Wilpshire and Blackburn.

On the East Lancs Line there will be 23.50 service (Fri only) from Colne to Preston calling at Nelson, Burnley Central, Accrington, Blackburn and Preston.

Full details of timings will be published shortly.

Please see below for planned engineering works during the forthcoming months affecting Community Rail Lines.

Blackpool to Colne

Monday 20th February 2012 to Thursday 23rd february 2012 - the 22.00 Blackpool South to Colne train will terminate at Rose Grove. A bus will run from Rose Grove to Colne – click HERE for full details.

Monday 27th February 2012 to Friday 2nd March 2012 - early morning and late night trains will be amended or replaced by buses – click HERE for details.

York to Blackpool North

Mondays to Fridays 30th January 2012 to 23rd March 2012  - the 20.29 service from Blackpool North to York will terminate at Micklefield. Connecting buses will run from Micklefield to York – click HERE for full details.

Sunday 26th February 2012  - services will be replaced by buses between Burnley Manchester Road and Hebden Bridge – click HERE for full details.  

Leeds to Carlisle and Morecambe

No engineering work currently in force

Clitheroe to Blackburn, Bolton & Manchester Victoria

No engineering work currently in force

Preston to Ormskirk

No engineering work currently in force

Wigan to Southport & Kirkby

No engineering work currently in force

Further information can be found by visiting www.nationalrail.co.uk or www.northernrail.org/travel/engineering.

Accrington Eco Station has been short listed in the Station Excellence category of the 2011 Rail Business Awards. The awards ceremony will be taking place in London on February 16th 2012.

The excellent value East Lancs Day Ranger (ELDR) has just got better. Fancy a trip to Bury Market - no problem, more frequent service Blackburn to Chorley – no problem!

Transdev have extended their existing Burnley to Bacup service (Starship route no 8 ) through to Bury and the ELDR is now available on this route. Click HERE to download a Starship no 8 timetable.

Transdev have also introduced a half hourly service through the day on the Lancashire United 124 service from Blackburn Boulevard to Chorley. The ELDR is available on this route but can only be bought on Transdev buses (or at a manned rail station or on train) but will be honoured by Stagecoach who operate this service in the evenings. Click HERE to download a Lancashire United Route 124 timetable.

The ELDR is competively priced at £10.50 for adults and £5.25 for children. Therei s also a Family ticket available for £21.00. Click HERE to go to the Northern Rail website for full details and a map of the area covered.