A tank memorial group are aiming to have a full scale replica of the first tank, built in Lincoln, erected on a city roundabout.
The Lincoln Tank Memorial Group want to have the replica Mark 1 placed on the Tritton Road roundabout by 2014, in time for the 100th anniversary of WWI.
The aim behind the idea, which will cost up to £25,000, is to remind and educate people on Lincoln’s engineering history, and commemorate the effort made by civilians in the city during the war.
The first tank was built in Lincoln by William Foster and Co. The brand was just one of many engineering firms in Lincoln providing locals with much needed jobs, such as Ruston Hornsby, Ruston Bucyrus and James Dawson and Co, which still exist.
The location would also be close to the Foster’s factory site, where the first tank came off the production line in 1916.
The memorial will be a partly constructed tank, with no guns on board — this is because no tanks built in Lincoln ever fired a shot in the city.
Male and female figures will stand around the tank, dressed in work attire, with spanners and paintbrushes in hand.
The replica might also feature Lieutenant Walter Wilson, William Tritton and engineer William Rigby, who were the designers, developers and manufacturers of the tank.
Tank Memorial Group member and organiser Julie Cooke said: “The idea of a tank on a roundabout has been talked about for some years.
“My husband Joe and his fundraising partner Frank Connell got together over two years ago with the Lincoln Tank Group with a view to ‘making it happen’, but unfortunately due to illness we had to suspend the project. The project was relaunched last August in The Tank Room of the White Hart Hotel.
“My connection is that both my grandmother and great uncle worked on the tank and my grandmother used to tell me about how she had gone to watch the tanks being tested and how secret the project was.”
Lincoln Tank Memorial Group are accepting donations to help build the memorial, and recently received a £1,000 donation from Running Imp.
The group have so far raised £7,000 of the needed £20-25,000.
Anyone wanting to donate or get more information on the memorial should contact Julie Cooke via email.
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Drivers in Lincoln will face nearly a fortnight of disruption when electrical works cause a road closure on Skellingthorpe Road from next week (July 11).
Western Power Distribution will install a new electricity connection for a new primary school on Skellingthorpe Road.
The county council has been constructing a new 130-place school on the site of the former Priory Witham Academy Junior School, which will be for St Christopher’s primary-aged pupils.
As a result, Skellingthorpe Road will be closed between Tritton Road and Boultham Park Road between July 11 and July 22.
This is to ensure the safety of engineers and local people while work is taking place.
A diversion will be put in place via Tritton Road, Doddington Road and Newark Road.
Western Power Distribution said: “We apologise for any inconvenience caused while we complete this essential new connection.”
We are investigating a road traffic collision which happened just after 5pm today.
The crash happened on the A15 just south of Waddington and involved a black Peugeot 208 that collided with a tree. The driver of the car, a 56-year-old male, was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
The A15 was closed just before 6pm and is likely to remain closed for some time.
We are particularly keen to hear from those who were driving along the A15 this afternoon between 4pm and 5:10pm and may have captured dashcam footage of the road during the collision.
If you have dashcam footage or any other information that will assist in our enquiries, there are a number of ways you can get in touch.
By calling 101 quoting incident 285 of 4 July.
By emailing [email protected] quoting incident 285 of 4 July in the subject line.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can report via the independent charity CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111 or online.
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