Heritage Lottery Fund Chairman to lead Barrow Hill Roundhouse re-launch celebrations
Sir Peter Luff, Chairman to the Board of the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Heritage Lottery Fund will visit Barrow Hill Roundhouse on Thursday 21st September 2017 to view the comprehensive National Lottery-funded restoration and officially open the new entrance building at the unique Midland Railway roundhouse.
The celebrations to mark the completion of the £1.2 million restoration, made possible by National Lottery players, will continue as the Grand Reopening Gala commences on Friday 22nd September, continuing on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th September.
The gala will star two icons of steam, the National Railway Museum’s A3 60103 “Flying Scotsman” and A1 60163 “Tornado”. This will be the first visit to the Roundhouse by “Flying Scotsman” since a Barrow Hill Roundhouse Open Day in 1974.
It will also be the first opportunity for many to get up close to the locomotive alongside her sister East Coast racehorse, the 100mph “Tornado” – recently the subject of a BBC4 documentary – against the unique and authentic backdrop of the Roundhouse.
Tickets are now also on sale for “Down the Line”, a professionally produced play commissioned as part of the celebratory events to mark the reopening of Barrow Hill Roundhouse and supported by The Arts Council.
The show will involve a cast of professional actors and hundreds of local people, including a community choir and Ireland Colliery Chesterfield Brass Band. The audience will be an integral part of the play as they follow the drama in and around the Roundhouse building. The Roundhouse team is delighted to announce that the play will include a guest appearance by “Flying Scotsman”.
Mervyn Allcock, General Manager of Barrow Hill Roundhouse, said:-
“We are very honoured that Sir Peter Luff has agreed to open the new extension building and lead our celebrations. We are looking forward to welcoming him to our unique Roundhouse and showing much we appreciate the financial assistance the Heritage Lottery Fund has given us.”
Sir Peter Luff, Chair of the Heritage Lottery Fund, said:-
“As the last surviving operational roundhouse, Barrow Hill has a unique role in telling the evocative story of the UK’s dazzling railway heritage. There’s no better way to learn about this history than getting up close to the buildings and locomotives that survive from that time, and that combination is what makes this place so special. That’s why I’m really excited to open the new extension, and see the finished restoration, all made possible thanks to National Lottery players.”
