The cherished railway depot war memorial honouring workers who gave their lives

A cherished war memorial at a train depot will go on display at a transport museum next month.

The memorial honours men from the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Carriage and Wagon Depot who lost their lives during the First World War from 1914 to 1918.

It is being re-homed from the Train Care Centre in Newton Health while essential repairs are made to the roof of a shed at the depot housing the memorial. Work to carefully dismantle it began this week ahead of its transfer to Bury Transport Museum, rail operator Northern said.

The 117 men on the roll of honour were part of a huge workforce at the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company in 1914.

Unveiled at the depot not long after the war ended, the memorial remained there until the original building where it was housed closed in 1928. It was then moved to Newton Heath Town Hall, before being dismantled again when the town hall closed down.

Northern said the memorial wasn't found until the 1990s, when a British Rail employee discovered it at Manchester Piccadilly railway station.

It was stored safely at the East Lancashire Railway for 20 years before being rededicated and unveiled at the Newton Heath depot in 2019.

Neville Dyson, Northern's TrainCare Centre manager for Newton Heath, said: "The memorial is very special to all of us here at the depot. It is kept in pristine condition and provides a focal point for the annual Remembrance commemorations.

"While repairs are made to the roof, it would be irresponsible to keep the memorial in-situ due to potential damage it could face and we are grateful to Bury Transport Museum for providing a temporary home."

Details of when the memorial will be unveiled at Bury Transport Museum will be released shortly, added the operator.