Portal:Trains/Selected article/Week 20, 2009

The East Lancashire Railway operated from 1844 to 1859 in the historic county of Lancashire, England. It began as a railway from Clifton via Bury to Rawtenstall, but, over its short life, grew into a complex network of lines connecting towns and cities including Liverpool, Manchester, Preston, and Blackburn. During a period of rapid growth, the company acquired several of its competitors, including the Blackburn and Preston Railway, which it purchased to gain access to Preston. It faced competition from companies such as the North Union Railway, and was involved in a dangerous stand-off in 1849 with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. Following several years of discussions, the East Lancashire Railway was eventually amalgamated with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway in 1859. Parts of the network remain in use today, and a section of the original line between Bury and Rawtenstall is now preserved as a heritage railway.