Artwork by college students to be on permanent display at Northampton railway station

The work will be showcased on the overbridge at the station
Left t right: Charles Taylor (technician demonstrator – Northampton College), David Flanagan (duty operations manager for London Northwestern Railway) and Sophie Pennington (curriculum manager of arts, design & photography – Northampton College).Left t right: Charles Taylor (technician demonstrator – Northampton College), David Flanagan (duty operations manager for London Northwestern Railway) and Sophie Pennington (curriculum manager of arts, design & photography – Northampton College).
Left t right: Charles Taylor (technician demonstrator – Northampton College), David Flanagan (duty operations manager for London Northwestern Railway) and Sophie Pennington (curriculum manager of arts, design & photography – Northampton College).

A partnership between Northampton railway station and a college has been launched to display artwork by students.

Northampton College has teamed up with the station in a bid to give students a permanent and prominent place to showcase their work.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The station manager originally came up with the idea as a way to ‘brighten up’ the platforms, in response to which the college suggested hosting the annual end of year exhibition at the station.

The artwork on display on the overbridge at Northampton Railway Station.The artwork on display on the overbridge at Northampton Railway Station.
The artwork on display on the overbridge at Northampton Railway Station.

However, the idea evolved and now there will be a permanent display of student’s artwork on the overbridge at the station, which will be updated regularly.

David Flanagan, duty operations manager at London Northwestern Railway, said: “In early March, whilst considering ways in how to brighten up the station and platforms, I received permission to contact the local colleges to try and generate some interest and look at the feasibility of partnerships with the local community.

“I thought the idea of working alongside the younger people in Northampton would be fantastic after so much upheaval over the last 12 months and in particular the students of the town whose studies had been so severely disrupted.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“As fate would have it, Sophie (from Northampton College) responded with the idea of hosting the annual end of year art exhibition at the railway station, as they were unable to do so at the college.

“After several conversations, this idea grew into one of hosting a permanent display on the station’s overbridge.”

Through the summer, the station team has worked to bring the idea together despite setbacks and delays.

The maintenance team, led by Simon Wagner, fitted metal struts to the inside of the bridge to allow the work to be hung correctly.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It was then left for Charlie Taylor - technician demonstrator at the college - to bring the exhibition to life ahead of its official launch next month.

David added: “We have provisionally pencilled in Thursday September 9 at 1.15pm for an official unveiling.

“The format will hopefully include speeches from both organisations, photographs and then an official opening.

“Students who have produced the artwork will be present to talk about their work.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The hope is that the new students will produce work that will replace and update what we have from around March 2022, an ongoing process which strengthens the relationship of the railway and the students of Northampton.”

The station already has a ticket display in the concourse of tickets from hundreds of stations across the country.