PLANS to re-open a rail link between Bury and Heywood on the East Lancashire Railway were due to be announced today.

The news follows a £1.2 million cash injection from English Partnerships, the Pilsworth Environment Company, and local authorities in Bury, Rochdale and Rossendale.

The money for the Heywood Link 2000 will be used to fund a new £250,000 station platform at Heywood, with £400,000 being spent on signal work at the Bury South junction. Major refurbishment of the Roch Viaduct, which feeds the railway over the M66 Motorway will cost a further £450,000, and Rawtenstall Station is to be extended to cater for longer trains.

Mr Trevor Jones, ELR chairman said: "This funding package has been created with the fantastic assistance of English Partnerships and the Pilsworth Environment Company.

"Bury, Rochdale, and Rossendale local authorities have for some years seen the potential of this line for both tourists and freight trains. All three councils have supported the East Lancashire Railway, with substantial funding for the re-opening."

He said that the Volunteers of the East Lancashire Railway have worked for more than ten years to re-construct this section of the railway.

Once up and running, the line could ease freight traffic congestion on the M62, at the same time boosting tourism by giving visitors easy access to the Rossendale Valley.

To celebrate the launch, a luxury Pullman train, Red Rose Diner, today carried a number of guests along the line. It was the first time a train had run on the section of line for more than 30 years.

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