Images of the East Lancashire Railway THE East Lancashire Railway (ELR) has issued a stark safety warning to trespassers to stay off the railway tracks while it remains closed during lockdown. ELR Chairman Mike Kelly said walking on the line remains dangerous as maintenance trains are still running, despite it being closed to the public. The heritage railway has issued the warning after Rossendale Police and Bury North Police confirmed there have been issues along the line, which runs for 20km between Heywood and Rawtenstall. ELR opened as a heritage railway in 1987, and hosts around 200,000 visitors annually. Operating steam trains from Bolton Street Station in Bury, along a 12.5-mile line between Heywood, in Greater Manchester, and Rawtenstall in Lancashire, the railway was recently recognised with a TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Award for 2020.