25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, December 18, 1972

A RAILWAY line, closed after a six-year fight to save it, may reopen in spring to steam train enthusiasts. Trains will run between Bury Transport Museum and Ramsbottom station at weekends if British Railways accept a plan by the East Lancashire Light Railway Company.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, December 18, 1947

DESPITE all the precautions taken by farmers and poultry keepers, losses of Christmas dinner fare are still being sustained in this district, as in other parts.

One farm on the outskirts of Bolton has had 40 birds taken. Another man, expecting trouble, hid behind a cote door armed with a piece of wood ready for instant action. But the intruder banged the door open, knocking the farmer's weapon out of his hand, then turned on him and got in the first blow. The thief got away with his loot.

Latest introduction to the 'armour' of the thieves in one part of the country is sulphur bombs. These are tossed among the birds, which 'pass out' and are easily collected and stuffed into the waiting crate, box or bag.

125 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, December 18, 1872

ON Tuesday morning, about half past nine o'clock, a collision of an alarming character, but fortunately unattended with fatal consequences, happened to a Bolton passenger train by its coming into contact with a goods train at Oldfield-road. A goods train ran into a coal train while the latter was shunting, and shortly afterwards the passenger train leaving Bolton for Manchester came up and dashed into the goods train. The guard of the passenger train was severely shaken, but none of the passengers were injured. Considerable injury was done to the rolling stock and the permanent way. The traffic was delayed on both lines for about two hours.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.