Railway 200: Art along the line

To commemorate Railway 200, Barton Cleethorpes CRP is installing a permanent art exhibition along the Barton line. The work started with art workshops early in 2025 to get ideas from members of the public. The first hand painted mural, "Our Railway; 200 years of the modern railway" was unveiled on 15 April 2025, World Art Day in the ticket office at Cleethorpes Station.

The aim the Art along the line project is to install art at all our stations and to include art by local people and local artists, conveying the heritage of the railway and the Barton Cleethorpes line. With this in mind we held art competitions for both adults and children with hopes to display winning entries on weatherproof boarding at some stations.

Cleethorpes Mural

"Our Railway; 200 years of the modern railway" by Nikita Spires (2025)

To celebrate Community Rail Week, Barton Cleethorpes CRP unveiled their latest addition to their Railway 200: Art along the line project. A "trompe d'œil" which is French for a trick of the eye, was painted at Great Coates station over two blocked up doorways on the old ticket office building. It was painted by local artist Nikita Spires, to give the impression that the spaces were no longer blocked up. The mural, “The Ticket Office” was commissioned by the CRP with funding from Community Rail Network and permission from East Midlands Railway and the owner of the property.

Great Coates Mural

Grimsby Docks Mural

During the summer of 2025, three new murals, also by artist Nikita Spires, were added along the line. At Grimsby Docks, a striking large-scale artwork celebrates the town’s rich railway and fishing heritage. Further along at Stallingborough, two brick waiting shelters now feature murals that highlight how the railway has supported the surrounding countryside and the villages it serves, both in years gone by and today.

Stallingborough Murals

Art along the line Art Competition

During Community Rail Week 2025, we announced the winners of our Railway 200: Art along the line art competition. Many exceptional entries were received by local children and adults all along the line. Judging was carried out by five Barton Cleethorpes CRP volunteers as well as representatives of East Midlands Railway, Community Rail Network and Humber & Wolds Rural Action. We were totally overwhelmed by the entries and judging was extremely difficult! We hope that you love them all, as well as the winners, as much as we do! Scroll down to see them all.

Adult winners

Adult entries were received from residents and local volunteers

Other adult entries

Children's winners

Entries received from children were wonderful. Again judging was hard, so much so that we had two entries in joint third place!

Other entries from children

Art along the line Photography Competition

Throughout 2025, we invited local residents to enter our Railway 200: Art along the line photography competition. The entries we received were exceptional! Judging was carried out by Barton Cleethorpes CRP volunteers as well as representatives of East Midlands Railway, Community Rail Network and Humber & Wolds Rural Action. We hope that you love them all as much as we do! Scroll down to see them all, including the winners!