Editing East Lancashire Railway (section)

== Reinstatement proposals ==
[[File:Castleton Station - geograph.org.uk - 1817735.jpg|left|thumb|Castleton railway station, the terminus of the ELR's extension plans]]
The heritage line is now just over {{convert|12|mi|km}} long and has a mainline connection with the national railway network at [[Castleton, Greater Manchester|Castleton]], just beyond Heywood. The ELR is planning to extend the running line to Castleton in the future, with a new cross platform interchange being the preferred option.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shannon |first=Laura |date=2007-12-07 |title=Back on track for connection |newspaper=Rochdale Observer |url=http://www.rochdaleobserver.co.uk/news/s/1027597_back_on_track_for_connection |access-date=2009-04-05}}</ref>

{{As of|2014}} options for providing an interchange station at Castleton between East Lancashire Railway and National Rail services were being explored. Plans for the station were supported by Rochdale Borough Council, which hoped to fund it by adjacent land development.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gray |first=Lisa |date=12 September 2014 |title=Plans to link Castleton Station to the East Lancashire Railway remain on track |work=Manchester Evening News |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/plans-link-castleton-station-east-7759517 |access-date=7 December 2014}}</ref>

In 2019, the CityMetric website published a "fantasy" tram link expansion proposal to create an orbital extension to the Manchester Metrolink tram system, which would include part of the current East Lancashire Railway route between Bury and Heywood.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Great Manchester Gyratory: An orbital tram line for the Manchester Metrolink |url=https://www.citymetric.com/transport/great-manchester-gyratory-orbital-tram-line-manchester-metrolink-4410 |access-date=2019-01-02 |website=Citymetric |language=en}}</ref>

In January 2019, Campaign for Better Transport released a report identifying the line which was listed as Priority 2 for reopening. Priority 2 is for those lines which require further development or a change in circumstances (such as housing developments).<ref>{{cite web |date=January 2019 |title=Case for expanding rail network |url=https://bettertransport.org.uk/sites/default/files/research-files/case-for-expanding-rail-network.pdf |access-date=2 September 2021 |website=Campaign for Better Transport |page=42}}</ref>

As part of the Government's 'Restoring Your Railway' fund, the route between [[Rochdale railway station]] and Bury Bolton Street ELR station was identified as a route for re-opening. As of 23 May 2020, the bid had made it past the first stage of the 'ideas fund'.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/re-opening-beeching-era-lines-and-stations/re-opening-beeching-era-lines-and-stations|title = Restoring Your Railway Fund}}</ref>