Celebrating 200 Years of the Railway: Art Along the Barton Line

dawnbranton
Jun 26
2 min read

Railway 200: Art Along the Line

This year marks an incredible milestone for Britain’s railways — 200 years since the dawn of the modern railway. And here along the Barton line, we’ve found a wonderful way to join in the celebrations!

Barton Cleethorpes Community Rail Partnership (BCCRP) has proudly launched ‘Railway 200: Art Along the Line’, a colourful new project that’s transformed several local stations with eye-catching murals and creative displays. Thanks to funding from East Midlands Railway (EMR) and the Community Rail Network (CRN), station walls and shelters along our route have been given a new lease of life, telling the story of our communities, our railway, and the rich history that connects them.

Art That Tells a Story

The project features artwork by local artist Nikita Spires, who’s brought her unique style and passion for heritage to five stations along the Barton line:

At Stallingborough Station, two brick waiting shelters have been revitalised with artwork capturing both historic scenes and modern-day life in the village.

Great Coates Station now features a clever trompe l'œil mural, recreating the look of the original ticket booth doorway and window — both long since bricked up, but now brought back to life through art.
Over at Cleethorpes Station, the ticket office boasts a striking mural showcasing the station’s platforms and the many trains that have served the line through the years.
Grimsby Docks Station displays a large, vivid mural celebrating the town’s proud fishing heritage and its longstanding relationship with the railway. It even highlights Edward Watkin, the visionary railway pioneer who connected Grimsby and Cleethorpes to the national rail network.

At New Clee, where there wasn’t a suitable wall for painting, one of Nikita’s original murals created for Cleethorpes has been reproduced onto weatherproof boarding and installed trackside, so passengers can still enjoy the artwork from their train window.

And that’s not all — at Barrow Haven, two beautiful pieces by local resident Richard Summerfield, chosen from entries to our recent community art competition, have also been installed, adding even more local character to the station.

This project has truly transformed our stations into places that celebrate local history, community pride, and the incredible story of our railway. Each mural beautifully captures a piece of the Barton line, connecting past and present in a way everyone can enjoy. We hope passengers and visitors alike will take a day out along the line, explore the route, and discover these fantastic artworks for themselves.

Part of a Nationwide Celebration

‘Art Along the Line’ is part of the UK’s Railway 200 celebrations — a year-long series of events, projects, and activities marking two centuries of railways and their impact on communities, commerce, and culture up and down the country.

If you’re looking for a day out with a difference, why not hop on a train along the Barton line and see these wonderful artworks for yourself? Whether you're a local or a visitor, there’s history, creativity, and community pride waiting to be discovered at every station.