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In October 2009, the Oldham Loop line between Manchester and Rochdale was closed to allow the route to be converted for use as part of the Manchester Metrolink tram network.

Following behind-the-scenes negotiations the East Lancashire Railway has been offered the opportunity to purchase the large surviving Lancashire & Yorkshire canopy which currently stands at Oldham Mumps station and which is due to be demolished in the next few weeks. However, time is against us.

As such, we need to raise £50,000 urgently to buy and transport the canopy to Bury. We are attempting to source some external funding towards this project, but we need as much support as possible from ELRPS members and supporters of the railway. By purchasing the canopy we will safeguard the structure and ensure it is taken down sympathetically. We cannot stress enough just how important the acquisition of this structure could be for the ELR and our stations in future years and should we be unsuccessful in our fundraising efforts this historic remnant of the L&Y Railway will be lost forever.

We are urgently seeking donations or firm offers of interest-free loans towards this project, but please act fast as time for this appeal to be successful is short and the canopy could be demolished within weeks should we not be able to raise the necessary funds to secure its futur e. Details of how you can help are contained overleaf, but please donate or loan us any amount you can to help us save Oldham Mumps canopy for future use at stations on the East Lancashire Railway.

Thank you.

Click here to download a donation form

Click here for the official Press Release

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Oldham Canopy appeal receives a massive boost

Works are well underway to convert the Oldham Loop for Metrolink services to Rochdale. Earlier this month, the East Lancashire Railway (ELR) launched an emergency fundraising appeal to save the sizeable remaining portion of the historic Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway canopy from Oldham Mumps station, which is due to be demolished in early March.

Following meetings with M-Pact Thales, the contractors dealing with the conversion, Stagecoach Metrolink and Councillor Keith Whitmore, the Chair of Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority, agreement has been reached for the ELR to purchase the canopy at a greatly reduced price, with some of the costs of dismantling the structure being met by the contractors as a gesture of their goodwill towards allowing us to secure this important part of Oldham’s railway history.

Arrangements are now being made for the canopy to be carefully dismantled and transported to Bury. Once the necessary funds have been raised to cover the purchase of the canopy, the ‘Save Oldham’s Station Canopy’ appeal will remain open to allow us to raise the funds to allow restoration of the structure and re-erection of part of it on Platform 2 at Bury Bolton Street station, helping to improve the facilities that the ELR is able to offer to our passengers and visitors.

The ELR has a long stated aim of providing canopies at all of our staffed stations and with a number of canopy components already in stock, the purchase of Oldham’s canopy should hopefully allow us to fulfil this ambition in the future. We believe that the acquisition of Oldham’s canopy is probably the last opportunity we will have to purchase such a structure which is architecturally similar to canopies which used to stand on our route between Heywood and Rawtenstall, but which have long since been demolished.

The ELR is still urgently seeking donations or firm offers of interest-free loans towards this project. Details of how people can help are available on request from the ELR and on our website at www.east-lancs-rly.co.uk. Support to the appeal has already come from a number of individuals, as well as members of our supporting East Lancashire Railway Preservation Society and we are extremely grateful to everyone who has contributed to the appeal so far.

The ‘Save OIdham’s Station Canopy’ appeal is being managed by the East Lancashire Railway Holdings Company Limited, which is a registered charity working to support the development and heritage of the East Lancashire Railway.

ELR General Manager Andy Coward said: “We are delighted and extremely grateful to GMITA, Stagecoach Metrolink and M-Pact Thales for all their assistance in helping us to secure the canopy and the reduction in the cost of securing it will greatly aid us in raising the cost of purchase and transporting it back to our premises in Bury. We are hopeful that it won’t be too long before we can start putting it back up”

Click here for the official Press Release