▁V icker st own , ▁a ▁medical ▁centre , ▁a ▁fire ▁station , ▁two ▁primary ▁schools , ▁several ▁pub s ▁and ▁numerous ▁business es ▁including ▁T es co ▁and ▁Co - op ▁super mark ets . ▁Wal ney ▁School ▁is ▁located ▁close ▁to ▁V icker st own ▁and ▁offers ▁secondary ▁education ▁for ▁the ▁island ' s ▁residents . ▁V icker st own ▁Football ▁Club ▁are ▁based ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁and ▁comp ete ▁in ▁the ▁West ▁Lanc ash ire ▁Football ▁League ▁and ▁the ▁cr icket ▁club ▁is ▁a ▁long - standing ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁C umb ria ▁Cr icket ▁League . ▁ ▁In ▁popular ▁culture ▁ ▁Vic ar st own ▁ ▁In ▁The ▁Railway ▁Series ▁of ▁children ' s ▁books ▁by ▁the ▁Rev . ▁W . ▁A wd ry ▁( which ▁developed ▁into ▁the ▁television ▁series ▁Thomas ▁the ▁T ank ▁Engine ▁and ▁Fri ends ), ▁locomot ives ▁such ▁as ▁Thomas ▁the ▁T ank ▁Engine ▁live ▁on ▁the ▁fict ional ▁Island ▁of ▁S odor , ▁a ▁much ▁larger ▁island ▁which ▁takes ▁the ▁place ▁of ▁Wal ney ▁Island . ▁S odor ▁is ▁linked ▁to ▁the ▁main land ▁by ▁two ▁brid ges , ▁one ▁road ▁and ▁one ▁rail , ▁across ▁the ▁Wal ney ▁Channel , ▁and ▁the ▁town ▁nearest ▁this ▁bridge ▁is ▁named ▁Vic ar st own . ▁As ▁the ▁author ▁was ▁himself ▁an ▁Ang lic an ▁priest , ▁this ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁an ▁obvious ▁choice ▁of ▁name . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁" res earch " ▁into ▁S odor ' s ▁history ▁by ▁the ▁Rev .