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Picturesque Greater Manchester railway granted £1.3m to restore historic viaduct
The funding will help the 200-year-old heritage railway continue operating for generations to come.
One of Greater Manchester’s most picturesque railways has been given substantial funding to restore a historic viaduct along the line.
As part of the Government‘s wider Plan for Change, the Bury-based heritage railway, East Lancashire Railway (ELR), has been awarded more than £1.3 million in grants to carry out urgent repair work to the Higher Woodhill Viaduct – which is on the edge of Burrs Country Park, in the heart of the stunning Irwell Valley.
Repairs to the historic viaduct, which goes past the site of the former Higher Woodhill Mill, were last carried out all the way back in 1932.
But now, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has granted the funding for restoration through its ‘Community Ownership Fund’, alongside three local authorities from Bury, Rochdale, and the nearby Rossendale in Lancashire, all putting in a further £276,000 in match funding.
Important supporters of the railway, such as members of the public and local businesses, have also added a few thousand pounds more to the project.
While inspections to the structure and safety of the viaduct are carried out on a regular basis, ELR assures, it was flagged earlier in 2024 that long-term repairs would be required to allow for the “continued level of use” of steam and heritage diesel trains along the line.
Speaking on the funding being granted, Mike Kelly, who is the Chairman of East Lancashire Railway, commented: “This is a major investment for the future and a massive vote of confidence for our dedicated volunteers and staff to help secure the railway’s infrastructure for years to come.
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“Now with this fantastic news, we are able to continue running our award-winning events and services without disruption for future generations to enjoy, thanks to the generosity and support of the East Lancashire Railway Trust, our local community partners and supporters, as well as local and national politicians.”
Essential maintenance works are due to start next year in the spring.
Featured Image – Supplied
News
Former One Direction star Louis Tomlinson is heading to Manchester on a new world tour
Daisy Jackson
Ex-One Direction star Louis Tomlinson will perform a huge gig in Manchester next year as part of a newly-announced world tour.
The singer-songwriter will be heading to the Co-op Live arena with his ‘How Did We Get Here?’ tour in 2026.
The 33-year-old star, formerly one-fifth of hit boyband One Direction, announced the news hot on the heels of the release of his latest single Lemonade.
Doncaster-born Louis Tomlinson will visit UK cities including Leeds, Birmingham, Glasgow, Brighton and London, as well as that massive show in Manchester.
Louis continues to establish himself as one of the UK’s top live performers, with hits like Back to You, Just Hold On, and fan-favourite tracks from his critically acclaimed albums.
He launched himself as a solo artist back in 2020 with Walls, shifting more than 1.2 million copies worldwide and amassing nearly 1 billion streams.
He then went on to release Faith In The Future in 2022 (a chart-topping album in the UK and top five in the US).
This new world tour will showcase his evolution from global pop superstar to respected solo artist.
Louis Tomlinson will perform at the Co-op Live arena on Friday 24 April, 2026.
Tickets will go on sale at 9am on Friday 10 October HERE.
Louis Tomlinson UK and Ireland 2026 tour dates
- Fri 24 April – Co-op Live, Manchester
- Sat 25 April – Utilita Arena, Birmingham
- Mon 27 April – OVO Hydro, Glasgow
- Tues 28 April- First Direct Arena, Leeds
- Thurs 30 April – 3Arena, Dublin
- Sat 2 May – The Brighton Centre, Brighton
- Sun 3 May – The O2, London
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Featured image: Publicity Picture
News
Heaton Park announces the death of another one of its beloved resident donkeys
Emily Sergeant
Another one of Heaton Park’s beloved resident donkeys has sadly passed away, the park has announced this week.
Back in May of this year, Heaton Park shared the devastating news that one of its well-known resident donkeys called Lenny had been diagnosed with an endocrine disease, and would therefore have to start undergoing specialist medical treatment moving forward.
The treatment Lenny would be receiving was to support his health during his retirement, as not long prior to his diagnosis, he had reached approximately 30 years of age.
Considering that The Donkey Sanctuary says the average life expectancy for a donkey is just over 30, reaching this age was said to be a ‘significant achievement’ for Lenny and everyone who cared for him.
Sadly though, as the months went on, things started taking a turn for the worse.
Heaton Park‘s Estates Team requested an onsite vet visit after identifying some changes with Lenny’s health, and these changes were subsequently linked to a condition called hyperlipaemia.
It’s with ‘great sadness’ that the park had to announce to the public that Lenny passed away later that same day.
“Lenny was a staple in Heaton Park and was a significant star in the memories of both staff and our visitors, he will be deeply missed by us all,” the Estates Team said in a touching tribute shared on the park’s social media.
Lenny’s passing unfortunately comes not long after the death of one of Heaton Park’s post well-known resident donkeys, Ralph, who died in early June of this year at the grand old age of 40 years old – with many tributes being paid to him.
Following both Lenny and Ralph’s deaths, the Estates Team has assured visitors that the remaining two resident donkeys, Bonnie and Josh, are ‘doing well’ and are being ‘monitored closely’
Bonnie and Josh are being monitored closely for ‘any changes in behaviour which could indicate stress’ as a result of Lenny’s unexpected passing, as the Estates Team says that visitors may notice them on ‘a few extra walks’ around the park over the coming weeks.
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Visitors are asked to ‘say hello’ to Bonnie and Josh if they see them on a walk around the park over the next couple of weeks.
Many tributes to Lenny have been flooding in on Facebook.
Featured Image – Heaton Park & Hall (via Facebook)
