Plans to erect a sculpture in tribute to Workington’s steel making heritage outside the town’s railway station have been lodged.
The proposal has been put forward by Cumbria County Council and will mark the town’s links to the steel industry and Henry Bessemer.
Bessemer was a prominent figure in the industry and invented the Bessemer process of steel making, which was the first way to mass produce steel in the UK.
Workington became an important area for steel making due to the raw materials being located close to the town and its history of iron smelting.
Cumbria County Council’s development control and regulation committee is set to meet on Monday June 28 to discuss the sculpture which measures 2.46m high, 1.3m wide at the base and weighs six tonnes.
The material used for the sculpture is carboniferous limestone, which is the same material used in the Bessemer process.
The proposal is to install a tribute sculpture and associated plaque on the station’s pedestrian area, close to the vehicle turning area to the front of the station.
A report to planners said the location was considered particularly suitable as the theme of the sculpture tied in with the station and its historic context, together with its pivotal role in transporting raw materials for the steel industry.
The site was also chosen as it will complement the existing heritage projects at the station, the report added.
