AN historical author has put together a book telling the 70-year story of the Whittingham Hospital railway.

Mark Cornwell of Higher Wheelton, begins his story in 1868 when a new county asylum was deemed necessary, as Blackburn folk had to travel varying distances for treatment.

A location was pinpointed within the triangle of Blackburn, Chorley and Preston, at Whittingham and a railway line, less than two miles long, was opened from Grimsargh in 1889.

Supplying coal and other goods to the asylum, it also provided transportation for staff, visitors and patients and remained in constant use until June 1957.

Originally passengers were carried in old four wheeled railway coaches and its greatest claim to fame amongst Lancastrian folk was that a journey was free of charge.

The hospital owned four engines and the story goes that when the service ended, one was given a funeral and also buried One of them was also named after the chairman of the management committee, Ald James Fryars, who was the Mayor of Blackburn from 1937 to 1938.

Although the railway closed half a century ago this is the first, in depth account and is given in an A4 size book, ‘The History of the Whittingham Hospital Railway’.

It has 96 pages, 104 photographs and seven maps, including a centre page spread of the hospital estate in 1938.

Mark has also started to research the smaller hospital railway at Calderstones, in Whalley. This line was opened as a freight line to bring in coal and supplies in the early part of the 20th century and closed in 1952.

During the Great War when Calderstones became Queen Mary’s Military Hospital, ambulance trains came straight to the hospital grounds.

Mark would like to hear from anyone who has photographs or memories of the hospital, boiler house or the gasworks and the railway.

The new book is only available from the author, who can be contacted on 01254 830754 and it costs £11, plus £1.50 postage.