SELRAP Newsletter Interactive 4pm 20th feb 2026 - Flipbook - Page 6
COMMUNITY NEWS
West Craven History Talks
The Railway Comes to Earby was the 琀椀tle
of a talk at New Road Community Centre
in the town (18 November 2025).
Earby & District Local History Society’s
(EDLHS) Bob Abel charted how the
Skipton-Colne Line, 琀椀ll its demise in 1970,
in昀氀uenced life in the area.
Back in the day, trains from Earby were
popular all year round, with services
des琀椀ned for the coast par琀椀cularly busy
during the tradi琀椀onal July Wakes Week
holiday. Rail journeys to Skipton and
Keighley were common for local school
children too.
Contrary to popular belief, the line’s
closure was not the result of Dr
Beeching’s infamous 1960s railway
review. Recognising its strategic
importance, he actually recommended
the line’s reten琀椀on and development.
It’s believed the line’s subsequent
closure was the result of a Whitehall civil
servant’s slip of the pen.
Bob is due to give a similar talk for
Barnoldswick History Society in October
2026.
The pictures below are courtesy of EDLHS.
Earby Sta琀椀on in its heyday
Troops during World War II
Local Brie昀椀ngs
In 2025, SELRAP con琀椀nued to present
updates for a variety of local groups,
including Skipton Rotary Club and the
West & North Yorkshire Chamber of
Commerce.
In September 2025, our membership
secretary, David Foat, updated Colne
Waterside Neighbourhood Ac琀椀on Group
on the status of the project.
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