A NEW Victorian-style station canopy is being proposed to cater for the increasing number of people venturing into Rawtenstall on the East Lancashire Railway.

And the borough’s tourism champion hopes that moves to encourage more visitors to the New Hall Hey attraction can only generate extra trade and interest in the nearby town centre.

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Proposals have been lodged with the borough council by East Lancashire Railway to construct a canopy covering the Buffer Stops bar, which has proved a major hit with real-ale fans, and the main station building at Rawtenstall.

Cllr Andy MacNae, a Rawtenstall area councillor who is also Rossendale’s lead member for tourism, said: “The railway station is one of the great assets Rawtenstall has to offer and we would want to encourage people using the line to come and take a look around our town centre as well.

“Buffer Stops has proved popular and there is also the dining-car experiences, which arrive regularly. It will all come down to the design but this should be good news for the station.”

In recent years, heritage rail bosses have been expanding their range of dining-car experiences which run from their Bury Bolton Street station and call at Ramsbottom and Rawtenstall, with murder mystery nights and afternoon teas also added to the calendar.

An East Lancashire Railways spokesman said: “This is the erection of a Victorian-style railway-station platform canopy to complement the existing heritage-railway buildings. The purpose of the canopy is to provide covered accommodation for visitors to the East Lancashire Railway and for customers of the Buffer Stops bar.”

Iron and steelwork from another now-disused station in Greater Manchester will be providing the backbone of the canopy.

Station manager Andy Morris said: “We will reuse iron and steel which was reclaimed from Oldham Mumps railway station six years ago, which has formed the basis of similar reinstatement at our Bury Bolton Street station in 2015.”

While the new canopy is designed to have a traditional look, it will be treated with contemporary materials, with polycarbonate glazing supported by aluminium bars.