Lighting Up The Town

   Cards have been on sale since August; the leaves on the trees are just starting to turn; there's a nip in the air as Autumn makes its presence felt; Ilkeston's Charter Fair is still a couple of weeks away; Hallowe'en and Bonfire night later still and adverts for never-ending sales of furniture and beds have reappeared on TV. To top it all men were working on Bath Street last week stringing coloured lights from building to building.

    It can only mean one thing - Christmas is coming and before you know it, there'll be Easter Eggs in the shops!

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The Stanton Wagon

    The Stanton Wagon has always divided opinion among the townsfolk and now after extensive restoration work it has been returned to its position on the island at the northern end of Chalons Way. Regarded by some as an iconic Ilkeston landmark denoting the town's industrial heritage it was the subject of some criticism when first placed there as visitors to the town may have mistakenly thought the word "Stanton" was the name of the town. The wagon received little or no maintenance and deteriorated badly so the restoration work was costed at over £15000. This project again divided opinion with one section of the community saying the money could be better spent elsewhere but a majority seemed to be in favour of the work and the wagon was removed in February 2012.

    Now that it is back the project has restored it to pristine condition with new parts being added to replace old ones. A fresh coat of paint and treated with sealant to protect it against the weather it looks as though it has just rolled off an assembly line but again it has attracted some negative comments. Basically I think the argument is just how much work has to be done before "restoration" becomes "replica"? Whichever side you come down on, I think most people will agree that it is good to see it back in its rightful place as a reminder of the area's past.