Come to The Whitaker Museum & Art Gallery to view Diane Muldowney’s exhibition ‘Tracks Through Time’, a record of social history on the East Lancashire Railway, in the 200th year of Railway Transport.
Exhibiting 5th of June – 21st September
Diane is a photographer and visual storyteller. Through her work, she captures the grit, dedication, and skill of heritage railway workers, whose hands are marked by coal and history. Her images preserve a moment in time. “Photography is more than just seeing; it’s about feeling passionate about a subject and sharing the story”. Tracks Through Time is a record of social history on the East Lancashire Railway in the 200 year of Railway transport. In 2025, the nationwide Railway 200 event marks a significant milestone with a year long nationwide celebration of the bicentenary of the modern railway. The East Lancashire Railway was built in 1844 to serve the cotton mills in the Irwell Valley. Now a major tourist attraction, the heritage railway stretches 12 miles through the wonderfully varied countryside, where a legacy of industrial architecture is set
amongst busy towns, quiet woodlands, and moorland fells. It connects Rawtenstall to Heywood along the Irwell Valley, boasting 7 stations along the route.
The locomotive engineers, mechanics, railway staff, and volunteers who keep the railway alive are dedicated to preserving a vital part of history. Their hard work, knowledge, and passion ensure that these machines, which once drove the industrial revolution, remain alive for future generations.