Heritage Railway Association award for West Lancs' Sybil

THE Sybil Locomotive Trust, based at the West Lancashire Light Railway, located in Hesketh Bank, were thrilled to be awarded runner-up, Highly Commended for the Steam Locomotive of the Year award at the Heritage Railway Association awards night in Gateshead on:- 8 February 2025. This followed an 8-year restoration of Sybil, a Bagnal 0-4-0ST built in 1906 that worked in the famous Dinorwic Slate Quarries, Llanberis, North Wales. The restoration included a new boiler built by the volunteers at the Hesketh Bank workshop. Sybil was 1 of 5 nominations for the national award and the only narrow gauge entry. The award winner was a new build Atlantic mainline railway locomotive 32424 'Beachy Head' based at the famous Bluebell Railway in Sussex.

The West Lancashire Light Railway is delighted to have been nominated for such a prestigious award, along with our fellow nominees, for outstanding restorations and engineering excellence. This is a very proud moment for a small, dedicated restoration team.

Sybil can be seen in operation at the West Lancashire Light Railway, with trains operating every Sunday and Bank Holiday from:- 23 March to 2 November 2025.

This year's Heritage Railway Association awards in Gateshead was at the start of a year long national celebration marking 200 years since the Stockton and Darlington Railway began the 1st public steam-hauled passenger railway in the world. An invention that transformed the world.

For more information about the  West Lancashire Light Railway please visit:- WestLancsRailway.Org.

LGA issue a statement on the Resolution Foundation's report on Council Tax

RESPONDING to a Resolution Foundation report which finds that poorer households are spending an ever greater share of their income paying Council Tax, Cllr Pete Marland, Chair of the Local Government Association's Economy and Resources Board, said:- “Councils recognise that having to increase Council Tax, to bring in desperately needed funding, places yet more financial burden on households. We remain clear to Gvernment that it is not the answer to meeting the long term pressures facing high demand national services and needs to be urgently addressed in the upcoming Spending Review. Local Council run welfare schemes, including:- Council Tax relief and the Household Support Fund, are also available alongside targeted Government help. Rising demand means this may only offer short term relief to struggling households. The most effective way to support low income families is through an adequately resourced national safety net. This needs to be alongside sustainable long term funding for vital local services provided by Councils, such as advice services, local welfare assistance, housing and employment support. Anyone having trouble paying their Council bills should get in touch with their local authority for financial help and advice as soon as possible."

All 6 local Borough Council Support Schemes within the Liverpool City Region:-

• Halton = Halton.Gov.UK.
   

• Knowsley = Knowsley.Gov.UK.
   

• Liverpool = Liverpool.Gov.UK.
   

• Sefton = Sefton.Gov.UK.
   

• St Helens = StHelens.Gov.UK.
   

• Wirral = Wirral.Gov.UK.