The Ghost Engine feature in Horwich is being restored but some believe ‘sending it off to the scrap yard’ would have been the best option

(Image: The Ghost Engine sculpture near the Middlebrook retail park is having an £81,000 refit)

A controversial piece of public art currently undergoing an £81,000 refit has become an unlikely by-election issue.

The ‘Ghost Engine’ feature which sits at one of the entrances to the Middlebrook complex in Horwich has been described as a ‘rusty toast rack’ and ‘so corroded even scrap merchants won’t touch it’.

When installed, on a roundabout near the Tesco Extra store, the gleaming white structure was deemed to be a symbol of the town’s railway locomotive building past.

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The ‘ghost engine’ depicts a train engine emerging from the ground pointing upwards.

However, the steel was not galvanised and over the years the paint and metal has deteriorated to leave it in a sorry state.

The matter was first brought before Bolton’s full council by Horwich and Blackrod First (HBFI) councillor, David Grant in 2024.

He said its state ‘shows a distinct lack of appreciation to a town’s history, culture, and image’.

(Image: The sculpture is currently covered)

“No care and attention has been given to the “Ghost Train” that sits at the entrance to the largest retail space in the country,” he said.

“It should be a historical reminder of the town of Horwich’s proud contribution to the railways but is instead a rusted, hole ridden bit of scrap metal.”

Earlier this year, a Liberal Democrat amendment the council’s 2026/27 budget finally addressed the issue, with £81,000 to be spent on ‘refurbishing and repainting’.

The ‘glow up’ was funded after £1.35M of one-off funds was returned to Bolton council from the Greater Manchester Waste Authority,

The work is currently ongoing with the structure presently enveloped by a huge white covering.

In the past week the work has been at the centre of a spat between Reform UK and Horwich & Blackrod First, who are contesting a by-election, along with other parties in the nearby Horwich North ward, which will be held on July 2.

Bolton’s Reform UK leader Trevor Jones, said: “The Horwich and Blackrod First Party are paying over £81,000 to have this so called locomotive monstrosity refurbished.

“This refurbishment will only last around five years then need to be done again.

“This monument is an insult to the historic train building that made Horwich famous around the world.

“Sending it off to the scrap yard would have been the best option.”

Coun Grant responded saying it was ‘another random claim’ from Coun Jones.

He said: “In relation to the Loco works monstrosity or the ‘ghost engine’ – it wasn’t HBFI.

“It was actually a Lib/Dem amendment to the Labour administrations’ budget. “We supported it as it’s money coming into Horwich, that’s good but it’s nothing that we actually actioned.”

Speaking when the decision was made on the sculpture spending, cabinet member Nadeem Ayub, said: “The Horwich ghost train sculpture is a much loved local landmark.

“It has long needed refurbishment and we’ve tried to look for solutions.

“Allocating £81,000 will ensure that this unique piece of our cultural heritage is preserved and well restored for future generations.”

Full list of candidates standing in Horwich North on July 2:Graham Dawson (LAB)Peter Hopkinson (IND)Raymond Ndokwo (CON)Wendy Parkinson (REFORM)Nicola Salmon (GREEN)John Scoble (HORWICH & BLACKROD FIRST)Scott Turner-Preece (LIB/DEM)