East Lancashire Railway
The East Lancashire Railway has been a place of railcar interest for many years, with a diverse selection of types resident at various times. Derby Lightweights and Wickham Railbuses along with classes 101, 104, 105, 108, 110, 117, 121,122 & 144 have all been on the line, and several are still there today.
The railway opened in 1987 between Bury and Ramsbottom, with a northward extension from Ramsbottom-Rawtenstall in 1991 followed by an eastward extension from Bury-Heywood in 2003. It is now 12 miles long with seven stations.
The railway is one of the most pro-diesel in the UK with plenty of work for both diesel locomotives and DMUs all year round. The DMUs see use particularly during the week in the summer holidays and on winter weekends.
The most notable set based here is the only surviving Class 105 2-car set, which was extensively rebuilt between 1997 and 2017 and is now one of the finest railcar restorations in the country.
The East Lancashire Railway has hosted the Annual Railcar Convention three times: in 2001, with a 110 3-car set in operation. In 2017 with five sets available for an inensive gala and unexpectedly in 2021 when following the collapse of the event at another railway the ELR quickly accommodated the event on the back of their annual DMU Weekend. Despite the short notice, five sets were in operation for the event!
Following the slow demise of other fleetsduring the late 2010's, by the early 2020's the ELR emerged as the dominant railcar collection in the UK.
The impressive fleet currently consists of two (and a half) Class 104 sets, a Class 105, a Class 110, a Class 121/122 & a Class 144.