- From The Chair: Our News & Updates

From The Chair

The Ribble Valley Rail service has now entered its 31st year since its reintroduction after an absence of over 20 years. So, it is perhaps a good time to look back at what has been achieved over this time regarding Ribble Valley Rail’s original aims to fight for a rail service for the Valley, linked into the national system.

RVR has three original aims set down in our Constitution. These are:

To support the retention, improvement and development of rail services between Blackburn and Hellifield and connecting lines.
To encourage the integration and greater use of public transport.
To support the activities of other bodies (both official and voluntary) where these will be of benefit to RVR.

The railway between Blackburn and Hellifield, although losing its passenger service in 1962, survived by the skin of its teeth as its remaining freight services either declined through changes in industry or were diverted to the West Coast main line. In the early 1980s the only trains remaining were two cement trains per week operating on Tuesday and Thursday from the cement works at Clitheroe. This, with the threat and, later, reprieve of the Settle&Carlisle line provided the impetus for action in terms of our formation and aims.

As a pressure group, working with local authorities, the train operator, and the rail authorities, success was achieved first with a “Saturday Shopper”, then in 1994 with a basic weekday service between Manchester and Clitheroe. Working in continued co-operation with the above bodies has enhanced the service greatly over the 30 years, with more hourly trains in an extended timetable, with Sundays added. The summer Sundays DalesRail service through to Carlisle, previously sponsored by Lancashire County Council, was absorbed into the national service provision for several years but, through the problems caused during the pandemic and several operational issues, was withdrawn at that time, but after much hard work, again by RVR and it’s above partners in the rail industry plus local and national Government, achieved a replacement Saturday service last year.