Accrington Train station

[Atarah]

Hi, the younger end of the members of Accringtonweb will just not believe this view of how Accrington Station once was. If you look to the right of the photograph, at the little building you can see, you will realise that this same building is still there - the ticket office. And ... see the bridge over the track, its actually got windows in, thats where we did "our courting"

[Mick]

Atarah
Is that you in the background standing on the station ?HEHE
Its a good pic don't see much of the old steam trains now alot on here will NEVER have seen one.

[Tealeaf]

That's the 4 O'clock up goods train, taking on water....but the existing ticket office is not the same building as that on the right hand side of the picture, unfortunatley

[Atarah]

Oh yes Tealeaf, perhaps you are correct, thought it was the same one but modified, but .. now I look at it closely ......
Here's another view

[keith]

1952 I was on my way to Germany via harwich where I had been posted the troop train stopped on accrington station on looking out there was Carlton Froggat a old school chum sweeping the platform I dont know who was more surprised him or me he shouted were you going all I could manage to say was abroad as we puffed out the station

[Tealeaf]

Just looking again at the first picture above it appears that the picture has been reversed or alternatively we've got the ticket office location wrong....judging by the location of the footbridge, then the picture was taken from the site where the ticket office now stands..

[Owd Bert]

The photo is the correct way. The train is just coming off the viaduct. Actually the building partly seen on the right was either the Porters Room or the Goods Office. The original booking office was accessed from Eagle st and was slightly to the right. Remember present day Booking Office is at the Paxton St side.

[Tealeaf]

Are you sure Bert? If the platform shown is the Paxton Street side - where the booking office currently is - then the goods train coming in is coming in on the wrong side of the track.

[Atarah]

D'ya know Tealeaf, I was just thinking that myself. If those steps that I can make out, on the left hand side of the photo are the ones still there today, then the trains must have come in on that line, on their way to Preston, whereas today, thats the line out to Burnley direction.

And ... no Mick .. its not me on the station. Naughty!!!!

[Atarah]

Tealeaf, you are a genius! I have just photocopied the photo and held the copy up to the light. I feel it is DEFINATELY the wrong way wrong!!!!! Will have a go at correcting it, but to be honest, not sure how to do it.

[Atarah]

Hi, have done it! Here is the photo, as it should be. Fancy someone printing the photo and not realizing it was the wrong way round! I will certainly be informing the person who lent me the photo. Now its beginning to make more sense!

[Owd Bert]

Oh you doubters -- ah well -- have been known to be wrong. Here is the photo reversed with rather an odd looking number.
And by the way -- Atarah`s second photo showed a part of the Ticket Clipper`s "sentry" box as you passed from the Booking Hall onto the Platforms. No open stations in those days.

[Atarah]

Oh Tealeaf!!! Its NOT correct, just take a look at the number on the engine!
Oh!!!! Back to the drawing board!!!!

[Owd Bert]

Don`t know what`s happened to my photo but it was just the same as Atarah`s. Also note the fancy spelling of Accrington across the tracks. No Atarah -- it was the right way the first time.

[Tealeaf]

I think the original picture is the correct one, but it does not make sense. If you look at the front of steam engine on the piccy above you can see the number plate..numbers reversed! The full number can be read quite clearly on the original photograph posting...the only thing I can suggest is that this is in fact the Paxton street platform & the train is on the wrong side simply because it is taking on water (you can see the fireman on top of the train with the water bowser)