Three in a Row for Bury

Reporter: Ask Bury
Date online: 10 March 2008

Bury Transport Museum is the third Bury Heritage Project to get a full approval from the Heritage Lottery Fund in nearly as many years. 

Bury Art Gallery Museum amp; Archives re-opened in 2005 following a £1.2 million re-fit, which made it fully accessible and changed the nature of the main display areas making them more modern and flexible.

In 2007 The Fusiliers' Museum received final approval on a grant of £2million enabling them to relocate to the Arts and Crafts Centre and develop a new museum with a total value of £3.7 million. This project is now on site and will open in April 2009.

Now the East Lancashire Railway has received full approval for a grant of £1.6million enabling them to completely refurbish the Castlecroft Goods Shed and redisplay the collections of the Bury Transport Museum for an opening in the summer of 2009.

This project is already well underway and the awesome job of shifting 30+assorted and often extremely heavy vehicles has begun, so that the Goods Shed can be carefully surveyed and detailed architectural and engineering drawings can be completed. Two historic buses and the steam roller Hilda called at Bury Town Hall on their way to their temporary accommodation to mark the occasion, whilst Museum Trustees took the opportunity to thank the Council for its support. Project Manager Malcolm Vickers said: Bury Council have always supported the railway and have given significant assistance to the Transport Museum project too - both through the time and advice of officers and through cash contributions to development work and the delivery of the project.

The Transport Museum has been in development for some time and is using the same team of consultants including Architects Brock Carmichael and Interpretive Designers Headland Design as the Fusiliers' Museum. Although the consultants were appointed independently the knowledge that they have of both projects is enabling them to develop complimentary facilities. The new Transport Museum will have limited retail and food amp; drink outlets as extensive facilities are available at the adjacent ELR Bolton Street Station. It will boast its own dedicated multi-purpose space overlooking the main floor area where the vehicles will be displayed and fully-accessible and interactive displays together with some dramatic theatrical areas and 3 audio-visual presentations.

The completed museum which will have an overall value of £2.7 million will provide a fantastic additional attraction in Bury. It will be the perfect place for railway passengers to visit between trains and will be offering an exciting range of activities and events for all age groups throughout the year. The Heritage Lottery Fund contribution is also assisting with the appointment of an Access Officer who will plan and coordinate the activities and provide training for volunteer facilitators for the first three years of operation. As well as school visits and family fun activities the museum will be participating in skill sharing and training including BTEC and the Young Apprentice Scheme.      

The continued success of Bury in being awarded funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund is an indication of both the quality of the projects and the commitment that the local authority has shown. All three are in easy walking distance from each other and have plans to work in close collaboration. Council Leader Bob Bibby said "Bury Council is delighted with the success of the Bury Transport Museum Project. This will further develop the Cultural Quarter of the town and together with the other already operational and growing projects will provide a vital balance to the growing commercial areas of the town."