NEWTON-LE-WILLOWS' heritage will be explored in a specially-organised trip to the National Railway Museum in York next month.

The new TransPennine express route through Newton-le-Willows now stops at York, where the National Railway Museum has an extensive collection of items and locomotives from the former Vulcan Works in Newton-le-Willows.

Fifty tickets have been donated by TransPennine Express to allow a trip for former Vulcan workers and members of the Newton community to travel to York on the new service for free for a day out to see the museum.

Meanwhile, Newton and Earlestown Community Group has purchased an extra 22 tickets to allow 72 members of the community go on the free trip.

Vice chair of the NECG Seve Gomez-Aspron, said: “The brand new TransPennine express route through our brand new station at Newton-le-Willows puts loads of new destinations in reach of a convenient day trip out.

"The new service to York was far too good an opportunity to miss and I can only thank TransPennine for their kind generosity in donating the tickets.

"We have asked the NRM to put on a display of Vulcan items for locals and we should have a cracking trip out to York.

"It has been my pleasure to organise this trip and we can’t wait to see our town's proud heritage on display. Anyone wishing to buy their own tickets and come with us is more than welcome to.”

The group will go on the trip on Sunday, March 10.

Among those going on the trip will be community volunteers, former Vulcan workers and families whose children are interested in heritage.