Rivington Chase developers Bluemantle are offering the Horwich community the opportunity to visit the historic Loco Works site, to see the Erecting and Repair shop prior to its demolition. The visits, organised in association with Bolton Council and Horwich Heritage will be taking place in the New Year, and will allow visitors inside the building for a final time.
Residents will also have the opportunity to view a heritage display organised by Horwich Heritage and hear from local employers about their expansion plans.
Many Horwich residents have a close connection to the Loco Works, themselves or their relatives having spent time working at the Works before their closure in 1983.
Before demolition is finished, the historically valuable railway artefacts from the interior will be taken out and preserved, either in the Rivington Chase Heritage Core, or at another suitable location, such as a nearby railway museum.
A spokesperson from Bluemantle commented: “We understand the proud industrial heritage of the site and of Horwich, and we want to make every effort to respect and honour this heritage. We recently facilitated a primary school visit to the site, and have been gathering suggestions from the local community as to how we can preserve the area’s history. We are happy to organise visits for local residents, and urge anyone interested to get in touch with us as soon as they can.”
Anyone interested in visiting the site should email hannah.dawson@galibierpr.co.uk or filling in the form at Horwich Heritage centre before 2nd January 2020. Please note that the Loco Works are a live site and have uneven surfaces – every effort will be made to accommodate those with mobility issues.