SELRAP Newsletter Interactive 4pm 20th feb 2026 - Flipbook - Page 4
TRIBUTES TO DEREK
Derek in 2015
The plaque at Colne Sta琀椀on
On 26 April 2025, two well-a琀琀ended
public ceremonies unveiled tributes to
SELRAP founding member and former
chair, Derek Jennings, who sadly passed
away in October 2024.
At Colne Sta琀椀on, a SELRAP blue
memorial plaque marks Derek’s many
years of hard work campaigning for the
Skipton-Colne Line’s reopening.
At Brier昀椀eld Sta琀椀on, a new bench was
dedicated to him by the East Lancashire
Community Rail Partnership (ELCRP)
and Save the East Lancashire Line
Associa琀椀on (STELLA), two more groups
he supported for many years.
Derek grew up in Bury, where local
steam trains inspired a life-琀椀me love
of railways, in this country and abroad.
On re琀椀ring to Barrowford, he became
a Friends of Pendle Sta琀椀ons (FOPS)
volunteer, maintaining Colne, Nelson
and Brier昀椀eld sta琀椀ons.
Derek’s niece Pam said: “As a family,
we have been and s琀椀ll are enormously
proud of the never-ending work he
undertook with SELRAP, ELCRP and FOPS
over the years – they were all so close to
his heart.”
Mike Cli昀昀e, chair of ELCRP, said: “It was
a pleasure to welcome the friends,
family and colleagues of Derek Jennings
to Brier昀椀eld to unveil his memorial
bench on the sta琀椀on’s pla琀昀orm.”
SELRAP’s longest-serving execu琀椀ve
commi琀琀ee member, Dave Penney,
said: “Derek was a true gentleman:
courteous, persuasive, trustworthy, a
reliable friend and a person of integrity.”
Pam Jennings, Caroline Holden & Mike Cli昀昀e
Jonathan Hinder MP
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