The Leeds Morecambe Community Rail Partnership (CRP) has continued its programme of celebratory events marking the 175th anniversary of the opening of the railway line between Leeds and Morecambe.
On Sunday 1 June, the partnership led a special journey along the line for ‘a grand day out’ to the seaside at Morecambe.
Members of the Leeds Morecambe CRP welcomed passengers to the 08:31 train from Leeds, which was bedecked for the celebration of not only Bentham Line 175, but also Railway 200, celebrating 200 years of the modern passenger railway.
At Morecambe Station, guests and fellow passengers were welcomed by a short, upbeat concert given by Lancaster City Brass, before everyone boarded a vintage double-decker bus, kindly provided by the Ribble Vehicle Preservation Trust, for a tour of Heysham, Morecambe and Bare.
Much to everyone’s surprise and delight, on the return journey from Morecambe to Leeds, the children travelling with the party helped the partnership representatives to serve an afternoon tea created by the Country Harvest Bakery in Bentham.
Gerald Townson, chair of the Leeds Morecambe CRP, said: “It was a real pleasure to welcome onboard many volunteers and stakeholders who have supported the CRP over almost 20 years, along with individuals and groups we have worked alongside to make the Bentham Line a welcoming place for all.”
Darren Allsopp, stakeholder manager at Northern, said: “We were delighted to welcome everyone onboard this very special seaside service to celebrate 175 years of this beautiful and scenic railway.
“I would like to thank everybody who worked hard to make this event come to life and make the day very special and memorable for all. Northern is proud to partner with community rail initiatives and the Leeds Morecambe CRP always has positive surprises in store.”
Learn more about Northern’s work in the community here.
Keep up to date with future news, projects and events from the Leeds Morecambe CRP via their website.
Header image courtesy of Oliver Rouse.
