Walney Island
Within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire, it is part of Barrow-in-Furness, separated from the mainland by Walney Channel, which is spanned by the Jubilee Bridge.The planned worker town of Vickerstown was built on the island in 1898, resulting in a large population increase, and the construction of Jubilee Bridge connecting Walney to the mainland in 1908.[3] Excavations of sand dunes on Walney have revealed evidence of Late Neolithic/early Bronze Age settlements on the island, including a small amount of pottery.[6] Low Furness was most extensively inhabited by Norse settlers,[7] probably travelling from Ireland or the Isle of Man, which is reflected in many local place names, including Walney.In the 1870s, Biggar Bank became a popular seaside recreation site on Walney, and this was reinforced when a regular ferry, operated by the Furness Railway Company, was launched.[10] In 1897, in response to the high levels of immigration to Barrow from across the UK, Vickers proposed to build a new planned town on Walney Island.The northern portion of the channel opens into the Duddon Estuary and is both narrower and shallower; at low tide, it is passable on foot, with stepping stones known locally as 'Widow's Crossing' assisting pedestrians.A second bridge over Walney Channel is sometimes mooted, in order to improve access and relieve traffic,[17] though there has never been any significant attempt to provide one.[18] The main settlement on Walney, Vickerstown, is effectively a continuation of Barrow-in-Furness, lying on the Barrow-facing east coast at the island's centre, clustered around the Jubilee Bridge.The only residential areas on the west coast are at Earnse Bay and Biggar Bank, both of which are extensions to the central Vickerstown settlement.It is possibly the oldest settlement on Walney, with Furness Abbey records from 1292 mentioning a grange at Biggar,[21] and today is still a farming village.Following the construction of Vickerstown, the defence manufacturer Vickers became the major employer on the island, reflecting wider trends in Barrow-in-Furness.[11] Vickers' successor, BAE Systems, remains a major employer in Barrow and on Walney today: the island has particularly high levels of workers in skilled trades.The books and television series are all set on the fictional Island of Sodor, which is located in the position of Walney, though significantly larger.
Barrow-in-FurnessIrish SeaCumbriaLancashireWestmorland and FurnessMorecambe Bayhistoric countyJubilee BridgeFurness Islands2011 UK CensusWalney NorthWalney Southglacial periodRiver Duddonglacial lakeneolithicsand dunesBarrow Islandplanned worker townVickerstownOld NorseDomesday BookMillomFurnessLate Neolithicearly Bronze AgeLow FurnessIrelandIsle of ManMiddle AgesFurness AbbeypastoralIndustrial RevolutionGuide to the LakesWilliam WordsworthBlack CombeshipbuildingFurness RailwayVickersplanned townWalney BridgeBascule bridgeLancashire and Cheshire Royal Garrison Artillerydeck gunairship2001 censusBorough of Barrow-in-FurnessGreat BritainDuddon EstuaryPort of Barrowa number of small islandsM6 MotorwayStagecoachBarrow/Walney Island AirportBAE SystemsWorld War IIAir EcosseNorth ScaleBiggarSouth Walney Nature ReservegrangeNorth-West Evening MailSouth WalneyNorth Walneysalt-marshshinglebrackishcommon eidercommon ringed ploverEurasian oystercatcherlesser black-backed gullherring gullnatterjack toadsGeranium sanguineumgeraniumBarrow Offshore Wind Farmwind farmsOrmonde Wind FarmWalney Wind FarmWest of Duddon Sands Wind FarmWalney Extension Wind FarmcountyLabour Party2011 elections at the Borough levelBarrow and Furnessparliamentary constituencyMember of ParliamentMichelle Scrogham2024 General Election.2001 UK censussecondary schoolWalney Schoolprimary schoolssixth form collegefurther educationrugby leagueChallenge CupOldhamNational Conference LeagueWest Lancashire Football LeagueEnglish football league systemkitesurfingwind-surfingThe Railway SeriesRev. W. AwdryThomas the Tank Engine and FriendsIsland of SodorWa'ney Island CockfightcockfightFiddler's DramMartin Wyndham-ReedManor of HougunWalney LighthouseEleanor WilliamsOrdnance SurveyWayback MachineDalton-in-FurnessFoulney IslandIrelethLindalMartonNewtonPiel IslandRampsideRoa IslandRoanhead