A COMMUNITY group has submitted a planning application after raising £25,000 for a permanent tribute to the Vulcan Works.

As the Star previously reported, the Newton and Earlestown Community Group reached its fundraising target to restore and bring home the Walter Urwin Loco to be displayed at the Vulcan site after a year's campaigning.

The Walter Urwin Loco was made at the Newton-le-Willows works in 1976.

The Vulcan Works was one of the biggest locomotive manufacturers and exporters in the world before its eventual closure in 2002.

The land is now home to a housing development and sports clubs.

Proposals say the old loco is to be situated on a grass verge in an open space at the junction of Wargrave Road and Vulcan Park Way.

A planning application has now been submitted to St Helens Council by the NECG.

St Helens Star:

Vulcan staff with the Walter Urwin loco as it left the works

Plans state: "In tribute and homage to this great company, the people who worked there and the over 6,000 number of locomotives produced for the world in Newton-le-Willows this application is to 'bring back home' the locomotive named ‘Walter Urwin’ that left the Vulcan Works in 1976 and originally named after local engineer who was the lead in the design of the locomotive, but sadly passed away before the batch was completed.

"The locomotive was then named in his memory".

They add: "Following a search for a suitable site this was considered the most appropriate as it is within the boundaries of the original works and paired with the smartly restored Vulcan workers village bookends the original work site.

"The locomotive is 9460mm long x 3610mm high x and standard loading gauge wide and originally weighed 76 tons with engine. "The locomotive for display will be refurbished and 'sanitised' before delivery and any glass replaced by clear plastic. The loco will be sited on rail track donated by Network Rail.

"The site will be dressed with rail ballast adjacent to the loco along with a low bow topped fence and some low 'defensive' type

shrub planting.

"A sign replicating the Vulcan Halt - the original station close to that site will be situated to display information".

Public consultation on the plans lasts until Wednesday, May 15.