Vickerstown
Encyclopedia
Vickerstown is an area located on the Isle of Walney
, near to the mainland town of Barrow-in-Furness
, England. Albeit not part of mainland Cumbria
, Vickerstown is still regarded as part of the town of Barrow-in-Furness. It is an example of a planned estate built for workers by a company needing to expand.
The location Vicarstown in The Railway Series
by the Rev. W. Awdry
is based on Vickerstown.
, owned at the time by Vickers
. Some workers were forced to live on board the Atlantic liner Alsaka, which was moored in the docks. Plans for its development were begun in 1898 and Vickers bought out the Isle of Walney Estates Company to handle the construction.
Homes were designed to last, with the houses in a terrace
style. Larger houses overlooking Walney Channel were reserved for managers' families. The good construction of this estate meant that Barrow did not have the slums that plagued British towns in the 1950s.
subsidies meant that amenities were quickly built, along with a bridge to the mainland in July 1908.
The second phase of construction occurred prior to World War II
and included an open air swimming pool and theatre. After the war, houses began to be sold on to tenants and by 1952, with only a handful of properties still under its control, the estate company was wound up.
In The Railway Series
of children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry
(which developed into the television series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
), locomotives such as Thomas the Tank Engine
live on the fiction
al Island of Sodor
, a much larger island which takes the place of Walney Island. Sodor is linked to the mainland by two bridges, one road and one rail, across the Walney Channel, and the town nearest this bridge is named Vicarstown. As the author was himself an Anglican
priest, this would have been an obvious choice of name.
According to the "research" into Sodor's history by the Rev. Awdry, Vicarstown was where the fictional North Western Railway
first had its headquarters and according to some sources was where Thomas The Tank Engine
first worked as a station pilot although some maps drawn to accompany the Railway Series books state this was at Tidmouth instead.
Walney Island
The Isle of Walney, also known as Walney Island, is an island in the United Kingdom which lies off the west coast of England, at the northern tip of Morecambe Bay. It forms part of the Borough of Barrow-in-Furness, and it is separated from the mainland at Barrow by Walney Channel, a narrow channel...
, near to the mainland town of Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...
, England. Albeit not part of mainland Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, Vickerstown is still regarded as part of the town of Barrow-in-Furness. It is an example of a planned estate built for workers by a company needing to expand.
The location Vicarstown in The Railway Series
The Railway Series
The Railway Series is a set of story books about a railway system located on the fictional Island of Sodor. There are 42 books in the series, the first being published in 1945. Twenty-six were written by the Rev. W. Awdry, up to 1972. A further 16 were written by his son, Christopher Awdry; 14...
by the Rev. W. Awdry
W.V. Awdry
Wilbert Vere Awdry, OBE , was an English clergyman, railway enthusiast and children's author, better known as the Reverend W. Awdry and creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, who starred in Awdry's acclaimed Railway Series.-Life:Awdry was born at Ampfield vicarage near Romsey, Hampshire in 1911...
is based on Vickerstown.
Beginnings
Its construction was prompted by a lack of housing available for the workers at Barrow DocksPort of Barrow
The Port of Barrow refers to the enclosed dock system within the town of Barrow-in-Furness, England. Morecambe Bay is to the east of the port and the Irish Sea surrounds it to the south and west...
, owned at the time by Vickers
Vickers
Vickers was a famous name in British engineering that existed through many companies from 1828 until 1999.-Early history:Vickers was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by the miller Edward Vickers and his father-in-law George Naylor in 1828. Naylor was a partner in the foundry Naylor &...
. Some workers were forced to live on board the Atlantic liner Alsaka, which was moored in the docks. Plans for its development were begun in 1898 and Vickers bought out the Isle of Walney Estates Company to handle the construction.
Homes were designed to last, with the houses in a terrace
Terraced house
In architecture and city planning, a terrace house, terrace, row house, linked house or townhouse is a style of medium-density housing that originated in Great Britain in the late 17th century, where a row of identical or mirror-image houses share side walls...
style. Larger houses overlooking Walney Channel were reserved for managers' families. The good construction of this estate meant that Barrow did not have the slums that plagued British towns in the 1950s.
Development
The first 1000 houses were completed in 1901 and tenants soon moved in, despite strict selection criteria. GovernmentGovernment
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
subsidies meant that amenities were quickly built, along with a bridge to the mainland in July 1908.
The second phase of construction occurred prior to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and included an open air swimming pool and theatre. After the war, houses began to be sold on to tenants and by 1952, with only a handful of properties still under its control, the estate company was wound up.
Modern Vickerstown
Vickerstown remains part of the town of Barrow and was declared a conservation area in 1988, to keep the character of the estate intact. Barrow shipyard remains the second largest employer in the town, though it is now owned by BAE Systems.Vicarstown
- Main article (The Railway Series): Vicarstown
- Main article (Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends TV series): Vicarstown
In The Railway Series
The Railway Series
The Railway Series is a set of story books about a railway system located on the fictional Island of Sodor. There are 42 books in the series, the first being published in 1945. Twenty-six were written by the Rev. W. Awdry, up to 1972. A further 16 were written by his son, Christopher Awdry; 14...
of children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry
W.V. Awdry
Wilbert Vere Awdry, OBE , was an English clergyman, railway enthusiast and children's author, better known as the Reverend W. Awdry and creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, who starred in Awdry's acclaimed Railway Series.-Life:Awdry was born at Ampfield vicarage near Romsey, Hampshire in 1911...
(which developed into the television series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
Thomas and Friends is a British children's television series, first broadcast on the ITV network in September 1984. Until 2003, it was named Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. This series was shot on 35mm film...
), locomotives such as Thomas the Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine is a fictional steam locomotive in The Railway Series books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher. He became the most popular character in the series, and the accompanying television spin-off series, Thomas and Friends.Thomas is a tank engine, painted blue...
live on the fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al Island of Sodor
Sodor (fictional island)
Sodor is a fictional island in the Irish Sea used as the setting for The Railway Series books by the Rev. W. Awdry, and later used in the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends television series.-Inspiration and creation:...
, a much larger island which takes the place of Walney Island. Sodor is linked to the mainland by two bridges, one road and one rail, across the Walney Channel, and the town nearest this bridge is named Vicarstown. As the author was himself an Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
priest, this would have been an obvious choice of name.
According to the "research" into Sodor's history by the Rev. Awdry, Vicarstown was where the fictional North Western Railway
North Western Railway (fictional)
The North Western Railway is the main railway company featured in The Railway Series of children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry. Although the company's name has never been specifically stated in the books, it was mentioned as such in tie-in books such as The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and...
first had its headquarters and according to some sources was where Thomas The Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine is a fictional steam locomotive in The Railway Series books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher. He became the most popular character in the series, and the accompanying television spin-off series, Thomas and Friends.Thomas is a tank engine, painted blue...
first worked as a station pilot although some maps drawn to accompany the Railway Series books state this was at Tidmouth instead.
See also
- SaltaireSaltaireSaltaire is a Victorian model village within the City of Bradford Metropolitan District, West Yorkshire, England, by the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal...
- Barrow-in-FurnessBarrow-in-FurnessBarrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...
- VickersVickersVickers was a famous name in British engineering that existed through many companies from 1828 until 1999.-Early history:Vickers was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by the miller Edward Vickers and his father-in-law George Naylor in 1828. Naylor was a partner in the foundry Naylor &...
- Walney IslandWalney IslandThe Isle of Walney, also known as Walney Island, is an island in the United Kingdom which lies off the west coast of England, at the northern tip of Morecambe Bay. It forms part of the Borough of Barrow-in-Furness, and it is separated from the mainland at Barrow by Walney Channel, a narrow channel...