News
"Poplar" Returns to Poplar
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- Published: Saturday, 25 June 2022 14:49
"Poplar" returned to Poplar for two weeks in the middle of June 2022 and was displayed at the Docklands Light Railway Depot where she was visited by over 1,000 people. Most were local school children taking part in the Trust's "Tracks Through Poplar" project which was part-funded by a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, the project is creating an educational programme for primary school children in Poplar featuring the Trust’s 150-year-old steam locomotive No 70 ‘Poplar’, one of the oldest operational in the UK.
Built in 1872 by the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway, No 70 was the first of the class constructed and like others of the type was named after areas served by the railway. Today Poplar is part of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and the initiative has seen project partners, Global Learning London (GLL), working with children in the area to co-create an immersive National Curriculum based programme which will result in resource boxes for schools.
The visit also attracted considerable media attention with ITV London carrying the story on their evening news programme and many local publications covering No 70's return to her East London roots.
Trustee David Nibloe was amongst the the team that welcomed around 1000 visitors to see Poplar in Poplar - Photo Our Bow
Read the full Our Bow story here
Children from Class 5P at Marner Primary School, Bromley by Bow with KESR Terrier Tank locomotive Poplar on display at the Docklands Light Railway depot in its namesake borough on Wednesday15 June 2022. Picture: Chris Davey
Poplar London also featued the school children visiting the locomotive