A SCULPTURE which will celebrate Stairfoot’s industrial history is set to be unveiled to the public in September.
Stairfoot Station Heritage Park, with help from local councillors, announced that the railway tribute - which features six rail wheels sat on two pieces of track - will be positioned on the Trans Pennine Trail near Tesco on September 13.
Mayor of Barnsley Coun Pauline Markham is set to take on the ribbon-cutting duties, after a project was started with the help of Section 106 funds - cash put aside by housing developers - and Barnsley Council’s Principal Towns programme.
Stairfoot was once home to a key station with trains going out to the east coast, and the area around it was criss-crossed with bridges and viaducts as various railway lines served the area’s coal mines.
It was also a hive of industry with the Dearne and Dove canal passing surrounded by a glass works, brick works, tar works and various other plants and nearby collieries.
Coun Wayne Johnson said: “It’s looking fantastic and we can’t wait to show it to the public - Stairfoot was an industrial hub and rail obviously played a huge part of that.”
The equipment was sourced from the Elsecar Heritage Railway and the seven-and-a-half tonne structure will be placed on a concrete pad, which is due to be put in-situ next week.
“It’s a huge part of our local history and it’ll not only look great as it’s in a prominent location, easily viewed from the main road, but it’s also something where people can come to remember Stairfoot’s heritage,” Coun Johnson added.
