What are we doing to keep you safe?

The railway is currently closed. We are working alongside Burnley Borough Council to reopen on a trial basis on Sunday 18th April and 25th April ONLY. For more information please see below, or visit our Facebook page.

Update – 24/03/2021

BPMRS has been working closely with Burnley Borough Council to try and find a way that we can reopen to the public as restrictions are relaxed. As a result, the railway will initially reopen on a trial basis on Sunday the 18th of April and Sunday the 25th of April. Our plan is to see how things go and then make a decision as to whether we should reopen or not.

We’d like to take the time to remind our customers of what measures we have in place to make sure everyone stays safe during their visit to the railway.

• A one way system is in operation throughout the station area, and measures have been taken to aid social distancing whilst queuing.

• Hand sanitiser is available at the station.

• We still only accept cash payment. We ask for exact change only. Fares are placed in a bucket containing sanitiser and will not be opened until the end of the running day.

• Lollipops are not available.

• Each train will consist of two carriages. Passengers are only permitted to use the front carriage. The rear carriage is reserved for the train Guard and staff members.

• Only one family/support bubble will be allowed to travel on each train. This is to aid with social distancing.

• Whistles will not be used except to stop a train in an emergency.

We’re doing everything we can to make sure everyone has a safe and enjoyable visit to the railway. To do this we also need your help.

• Please wear a face covering throughout you visit, unless of course you are exempt. We ask that you respect everyone’s decision as to wearing a face covering or not; after all, not all disabilities are visible.

• Please do what you can to maintain social distancing throughout your visit. Especially whilst queuing.

• Please follow instructions from members of our team.

The railway reopening on a more permanent basis relies on not just us helping you, but you helping us. If we cannot operate safely, we cannot open at all.

Whilst we have been unable to open to the public, work has still been taking place to maintain the railway. General maintenance and servicing of locomotives and rolling stock is one of the tasks we are still able to carry out. Also, a small gang have been working on the replacement of track, sleepers, and ballast to allow for smoother and safer running. The largest section has been replacing the riverside straight. And apart from some minor tweaking, all is looking good.

We look forward to welcoming you back to the railway (maybe not with open arms!) as soon as possible, and we’ll keep you updated if anything changes!

Update – 01/07/2020

Following on from Yesterday’s update we have now finalised the details of when, and most importantly how, we will reopen the Thompson Park Railway to the public.

Firstly, we are pleased to announce that following a meeting with Burnley Borough Council’s Green Spaces & Amenities department, the railway will reopen to the public at 12:00 on Saturday the 11th of July 2020.

Second of all, we feel it is important for us to share with you our plans to keep volunteers and visitors alike safe – this includes:

• A one-way system will be in place throughout the entirety of the station area.

• Measures will be put in place to maintain social distancing whilst queuing.

• Trains will only use platforms 2 and 3 when in passenger service.

• Each train set will consist of 2 carriages. Passengers will only be permitted to use the front carriage; the rear carriage is for the use of the Guard only. Each train may carry a maximum of 6 passengers from the same family / support bubble.

• Due to our operational requirements and subject to the available staff, we may operate a maximum of 5 trains – allowing for the use of 4 sit and stride trains as well as the family / wheelchair accessible carriage.

• Prior to the start of each running day, after each journey, and at the end of the day, each piece of equipment used will be sprayed with sanitizer and wiped clean.

• Whistles will not be used during the train dispatch process. Whistles will only be used in an emergency situation to bring a train to a stand. After use, the whistle and the user’s hands will be washed as soon as possible.

• Lollipops will not be available for the foreseeable future.

• Hand sanitiser will be available at the exit of the station at the end of the ride.

• We are not making the wearing of a face covering mandatory for visitors or volunteers, and we ask that you respect the personal decisions of everyone on this matter.

• At the moment we are still only accepting cash payments, we are looking into various options available to us in the introduction of card and contactless payments. Please ensure you have the exact change, as change will not be given. Money will be placed into a bucket containing disinfectant and will not be touched until either the bucket needs emptying or we have reached the end of the running day. Only single tickets will be available to purchase. Super Savers and day tickets will not be issued or valid until further notice.

• We will not be accepting any bookings for private parties for the remainder of this operating season. If you have made a booking please contact us to discuss this.

All of the society are eager to welcome back our passengers, and we ask that you bear with us whilst we also adjust to our new way of operating during this difficult time. Everything we are doing is for the safety of everyone that visits our railway. We will be constantly reviewing our safety measures to adapt with what is required of us.

If you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to contact us prior to your visit or approach any member of our team.

Update – 30/06/2020

In early March we made the hard decision to not open the Thompson Park Railway to the public due to ongoing global health emergency, Coronavirus.

In recent weeks, the Government has relaxed rules surrounding COVID-19 allowing the reopening of various sectors to the public. We as an operator are doing everything we can to ensure the safety of our volunteers and our visitors.

Over the last few weeks and in the coming days we have been discussing our options over when and how to open the railway for all to enjoy. We are working alongside the relevant authorities to ensure the railway is as safe as possible and will remain to be. Various proposals are being considered, including a one-way system as well as ways to social distance throughout the entirety of everyone’s visit.

We will not open until we are completely satisfied that we can do so safely.

As soon as we have finalised our plans, we will communicate them to our volunteers and visitors.

We would like to take the time to thank all our volunteers who have been doing their bit to continue to maintain the railway as well as playing their part in the country’s battle against Corona virus. We would also like to thank the public for their continued support throughout these exceptional circumstances and we hope to see you all again very soon.

Update – 17/03/2020

Following the recent advice from the Government regarding the outbreak of Coronavirus, the Burnley and Pendle Miniature Railway Society has taken the decision to suspend all public operations at the Thompson Park Railway. Trains will not operate for the foreseeable future.

We believe that this is a necessary step in the fight against Coronavirus, protecting not just our society members but most importantly the general public.

As soon as we have any more information, we will provide this as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding and we apologise for any inconvenience.