SITE work began in earnest ahead of the eagerly anticipated return of Bradford on Avon’s historic rubber rolling machine, The Iron Duke, last Saturday.

The Iron Duke Project has raised nearly £80,000 towards its £97,000 target which will see Europe’s first machine of this kind return to its site in the Kingston Mills Complex from Bristol this July.

Representatives of the Bradford on Avon Museum, the Preservation Trust, mayor Alison Craddock and volunteers helped out on Saturday morning, removing shrubs growing there so replanting work can begin.

“It is wonderful at last to be starting on site. The project has been in preparation for five years and it is very rewarding that we are now able to start the real work,” said Mervyn Harris, Chairman of the Museum.

“The amount of support for this project we have received has been brilliant. What I rejoice in is that this is a wonderful piece of the town’s history that can finally be celebrated.

“It is very exciting and special. Something like this may never happen again. It is a fantastic demonstration of how important Bradford on Avon was in the country’s industrial history.”

David Moss, Chairman of the Preservation Trust, added: “It is good that our volunteers can take part in this project, as well as our specialist contractors.

“The Project plans to involve volunteers wherever possible and to engage the whole community in exploring Bradford on Avon’s contribution to the history of the rubber industry here and throughout Europe.”

The shrub removal needed to be done before the growing season for the shrubs which will then be looked after before they are replanted.

The next work on the site will be piling and laying concrete to form a plinth on which the restored machine can be placed, with preparation for this set to start in May.

Mayor Allison Craddock said: “I am so pleased about this project, it is just brilliant for Bradford on Avon. This is steeped in history and has been fought so hard over by many groups in the town is just brilliant.

“We have an awful lot going for this town and this is an exceptional monument into our industrial past. It is another talking point for the town and is another thing we can be proud of. We are all fully behind it.”

The unassembled machine, currently in Bristol’s industrial museum, will be brought to the town in July, before being completed in September.

Named after the Duke of Wellington, the 12ft, 16 tonne machine played a central part in the Avon Rubber Factory over 150 years ago.