A poignant memorial commemorating 117 railway workers who lost their lives during the First World War has been given a new and permanent home at Bury Transport Museum, following a special unveiling ceremony on Sunday, 6 April.
The memorial, originally installed at Newton Heath depot, pays tribute to men from the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Carriage & Wagon Depot who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Great War. Thanks to a new agreement between East Lancashire Railway (ELR) and train operator Northern, the memorial is now on permanent loan to the museum, where it can be viewed by the public.
A Memorial With a Journey of Its Own
The memorial has had a remarkable journey:
- Post-WWI: First erected at the Carriage & Wagon Depot at Newton Heath.
- 1928: Relocated to Newton Heath Town Hall after the depot closed.
- 1990s: Rediscovered in the undercroft of Manchester Piccadilly Station by a British Rail employee after being dismantled and long forgotten.
- 2019: Rededicated and unveiled again at Newton Heath TrainCare Centre.
- 2025: Now relocated to Bury Transport Museum to ensure greater public access.
Previously only viewable by special arrangement at the working TrainCare Centre, the memorial’s new location allows relatives of the fallen and the wider public to visit and reflect more freely.
Honouring the Fallen, Preserving Railway Heritage
Keith Whitmore, Chair of Bury Transport Museum, expressed his pride in the new addition:
“This is one of the most stunning exhibits that we have ever had in the museum. It is going to be popular for new visitors and, in particular, the relatives of the fallen will be able to see those names on the plaque.”
Tricia Williams, Managing Director of Northern Trains, added:
“The memorial is very special to all of us at Northern and has been the focus of our local Remembrance commemorations. We’re delighted that members of the public will now have greater access to view it and grateful to the team at East Lancashire Railway for providing a fitting home.”
Visiting the Memorial
The Bury Transport Museum is open from 10am to 4pm on days when public services are running on the East Lancashire Railway.
For more information, visit: eastlancsrailway.org.uk
This relocation not only honours the memory of fallen railway workers but also helps preserve an important piece of the North West’s railway history for generations to come.
