A FIVE-year wrangle over the future of a clock removed from Blackburn railway station during a £6million revamp has been resolved.
Council bosses today revealed they planned to include the giant clock, one of two which used to hang over platforms at the town's old railway shed-style station, in a piece of public art at the station's new car park.
The announcement comes just a week after rail bosses responsible for redeveloping the railway station got round to fitting new clocks on the platforms, more than 18 months after the station revamp was completed.
Outrage greeted an announcement by Railtrack after it removed the clocks in 1999 that they would not be returned as originally promised. Instead, the now-defunct rail management company said, the clocks would take pride of place in Manchester's modernised Piccadilly station.
Company bosses said the old Victorian clocks did not fit in with the style of Blackburn's modern-looking railway station, which has three of its four platforms covered by a glass dome.
Threats of legal action followed from Blackburn with Darwen Council, which said not returning the two clocks would breach planning conditions attached to allowing the redevelopment to go ahead.
Network Rail, which has since replaced Railtrack, last year agreed to hand one back and it is now in the care of Blackburn with Darwen Council, which promised to find a home for the clock.
Rail group and civic society leaders are celebrating after the council confirmed that the clocks would return to the station, but not to the platforms.
It will be included in a piece of public art being developed for the new railway station 'park and ride' car park, which will replace the existing car park behind platform 4.
Coun Andy Kay, executive member for regeneration, said; "The railway station clock has been away for refurbishment. It is being stored at Manchester Piccadilly, pending its return to Blackburn, where it will form the working part of a new piece of public art close to the station."
David Butterworth, a Clitheroe-based member of the Rail Passenger Committee North West, said today: "These developments at Blackburn railway station are very welcome."
A spokesman for Blackburn Civic Society said: "The clock is part of the town's heritage. We should never have had to fight so hard to get it back in the first place, and it is good news it is going back near the station."
The RPC is now working with the council and Blackburn MP Jack Straw to get action to improve facilities to improve Platform 4 at Blackburn Railway Station.
It was meant only to be an 'emergency' platform but train companies have begun using it because they say it helps them keep to timetables. The platform is the only one without a roof, and the RPC say improvements need to happen fast.
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