This coming Sunday, April 6, the Bury Transport Museum is to commemorate the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway First World War Memorial within its museum at a special ceremony taking place at 10 am.

The history of this particular war memorial has been eventful.

Built to commemorate former Lancashire & Yorkshire railway-men who lost their lives having signed up to fight during the First World War.

The memorial originally went on display at Newton Heath Carriage and Wagon Works before moving to the local town hall in 1928.

A few decades later, when the town hall was demolished, the memorial was presented to British Rail, who put it into storage before it was eventually rediscovered in 1990 by a member of staff a Manchester Piccadilly .

The war memorial was recovered and then went back on display in 2018 at Newton Heath Train Care Centre. With upcoming works due to start at the Tran Care facility in Newton Heath, the decision was made to bring the memorial to the Bury Transport Museum.

It is thanks to a partnership between the East Lancashire Railway and Northern Trains that the war memorial has found a permanent home at the Bury Transport Museum, and was moved there a couple of weeks ago.

It can now be easily viewed by the public, offering relatives of those who died in the war to come, view and spend a time of reflection at the memorial.

The ceremony will include special guests, including four Lord Mayors, two town Mayors, Coronation Street actor Antony Cotton and Northern Managing Director Tricia Williams.

“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.” 

Bury Transport Museum Chairman, Keith Whitmore

“The memorial is very special to all of us at Northern and has been the focus of our local Remembrance commemorations to honour those railway workers who gave their lives during the First World War.  We’re delighted that members of the public will now have greater access to view to the memorial and grateful to the team at East Lancashire Railway for providing a fitting home at Bury Transport Museum.”

Tricia Williams, Managing Director of Northern Trains