This is Rammy

News, Information and an award winning Podcast right from the heart of Ramsbottom

The Flying Scotsman is coming to the East Lancashire Railway in June 2026

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The Flying Scotsman is heading back to the East Lancashire Railway (ELR) – and if you’ve never seen her in person, this is a decent chance to do exactly that.

The LNER Class A3 60103 first entered service in 1923 and became the first steam locomotive officially recorded at 100mph. She’s had a turbulent life – multiple owners, a near-scrapping during the Beeching cuts, world tours, and lengthy restorations. The ELR actually played a significant part in that story, being the site of Scotsman’s historic restoration.

There are a few different ways to experience the visit, depending on what you’re after.

Ride behind her
On 5, 6, 7, 13 and 14 June 2026, you can ride the full length of the ELR line behind the Flying Scotsman.

Worth knowing: you board at Bury Station only, the journey is around an hour and a half, and it’s non-stop – you can’t get off at intermediate stations.

Tickets are £42.50 for adults, £35.50 for 16–17 year olds, and £30.50 for children aged 2–15. There’s also a compartment option for up to 8 people at £350. A £2.50 booking fee also applies per order.

Static display at Bury
If you’d rather just get up close without the ride, you can see the Scotsman that will be on static display at Bury Station on 3, 4, 10, 11 and 12 June 2026. Ticket holders can even walk through the tender and look around the footplate. Adults £15, young persons (16–17) £13.50, children (2–15) £12.

Dining experience
On 5, 6 and 13 June 2026 there’s an evening dining option – live music on arrival, a welcome drink, and a four-course silver service meal on board.

Parking at Bury Bolton Street Station is very limited, so worth planning ahead. Full booking details and timetables are over on the ELR website.

Are you planning to go? Let me know in the comments.

RSPB – Wildlife Walks and Talks Near Ramsbottom

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The RSPB Bolton Local Group runs regular wildlife walks and nature talks across the area, and they’re looking for people to help organise events.

You don’t need to be an RSPB member or a bird expert to join their meetings. They host speakers throughout the year – upcoming talks include Brian White presenting ‘Wild Costa Rica’ on Thursday 12th February, focusing on the Resplendent Quetzal and Firey Throated Hummingbird.

The group needs volunteers to help arrange walks and events. They’re offering full training and support if you’re interested in getting involved.

More details are available on their website, and they run a Facebook group for the latest news and updates.

Anyone local been along to one of their events? Would be good to hear what they’re like.

Sometimes the birds are easy to spot.

Two Ramsbottom mums launch children’s clothes swap

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Two local mums are starting a children’s clothes swap in Ramsbottom to help families access free clothing and keep perfectly good stuff out of landfill.

Caroline Donohoe and Lucy Gilson came up with the idea after seeing a news report about clothing poverty – kids going to school in clothes with holes or shoes that don’t fit.

They posted about it on Facebook and got an immediate response. MotherZen on Market Place offered to host, and the Little Clothing Club was born.

Caroline, a legal executive, said: “It’s just so upsetting to know that they’re in that position when there’s so much stuff going to waste and a lot of us have an excess of clothes that could be passed down and passed on.”

The first swap is on Sunday, May 17, from 2-4pm at MotherZen (2 Market Place). It’s open to everyone – you can bring an item and swap it for another, or donate £2 and take up to five items. There’s also a QR code for donations to cover practical costs like hangers and posters.

They’ve already had drop-offs and have plenty of clothes for babies and toddlers, but they’re particularly looking for sizes that fit 3-16 year olds.

Lucy, who works as a virtual assistant, explained they’re keeping the £2 option to make sure there’s enough for everyone who comes, and to prevent people taking things to sell on.

Down the line, they hope to work with schools and community centres to get bundles directly to families who need them.

Tori Johnson from MotherZen said: “I was passionate about supporting The Little Clothing Club as anything that supports parents and builds community is aligned with our ethos.”

You can follow Little Clothing Club on Facebook for updates.

Source: Bury Times

Eleven Eleven in Holcombe has closed and is up for sale

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Eleven Eleven, the bar and restaurant on Bolton Road West in Holcombe, has sadly closed after two years of trading. The premises is now on the market for £400,000.

The place has been shut for a couple of weeks, though it’s still showing as open Wednesday to Sunday online. There’s nothing on the door to explain what’s happened.

According to The Bury Times, Companies House records show the business registered in April 2024. A notice from March suggests a director stepped back from his role.

The listing describes it as a ‘substantial and versatile’ property with about 1,515 square feet of trading space on the ground floor, including a central bar, commercial kitchen and toilets. There’s a 568 square foot basement for storage, plus a self-contained flat above that’s roughly 1,039 square feet.

If you know more about what happened or have memories of the place, feel free to share them in the comments.

Squirrel Becomes Student Hero After Sparking School Closure

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A local squirrel has earned a place in the hearts of Woodhey students this week after its encounter with a high-voltage cable led to an unexpected early start to the weekend.

The adventurous rodent managed to achieve the impossible, by gnawing through a critical line at a nearby substation, the squirrel triggered a widespread blackout that left the school without power, internet, or basic utilities.

A Technical Standstill
The outage, which struck late Friday morning, created a significant logistical challenge for the school.

Beyond the loss of lighting and WiFi, the lack of electricity meant that essential systems for hot water and sanitation were unable to operate.

Faced with a lengthy wait for repairs and the inability to maintain a comfortable environment, the leadership team made the call to dismiss the students early after contacting parents.

Exemplary Student Response

Despite the sudden change in plans, the students have been praised for their mature and calm response. Staff noted that the atmosphere remained positive throughout the evacuation, with pupils handling the disruption with a level of common sense that did the school proud.

In a classic twist of timing, the lights flickered back on just as the students were heading home.

However, as the water systems required a period of recovery, the “squirrel-sanctioned” holiday remained in place.

Back to Business

Engineers have worked through the day to ensure the damaged substation is fully repaired and the cable replaced. The school has confirmed that all facilities are now fully operational, and the gates will open as normal on Monday morning.

While the “hero of the hour” may be back in the trees (doubt it), the legend of the squirrel that took down the National Grid is sure to be the main topic of conversation at the school gates next week.