Artist was drawn to mayor’s vision
A talented artist has used his creative skills to produce a Tube-style plan of the West Midlands – which can be coloured in.
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street first unveiled the map, which showcased new Metro lines and railway stations as part of a £15 billion plan, last year.
Now it has been recreated by artist Ben Poultney, from Cradley, packed full of local landmarks residents can colour in for free.
It features the likes of the Man on the ‘Oss in Wolverhampton, Dudley Castle, Birchley Island and the proposed site of the Gigafactory in Coventry.
Mr Poultney, founder of Draw My Town, said: “I was scrolling through social media and I saw the original map pop up. I kind of recognised it – initially I thought it was an alternate version of the London tube map - then I realised it was the West Midlands.
“Anything to do with the West Midlands and I’m all ears, it’s where I was born and raised and I have immense pride, particularly for the Black Country. So, I investigated a little further and found out that it was part of a proposal from the Mayor of the West Midlands.
“I think it’s a really positive vision for the area, especially the proposed Metro in Halesowen where I had my first job, and Stourbridge where I went to college.
“The fact that it’s a mix of reopening old stations and building new ones is fascinating. I tend to stay well clear of politics in general, however when I see something that I think will benefit my family, friends, and their children’s children, then I’ll do what I can to help that along.
"So, creating the new version – which is available in black and white for people to colour in – was my way of supporting the idea. I’ve included a number of different landmarks on it – but I would be interested to find out what other suggestions people might have.”
The artist offered up a piece of Black Country artwork – showcasing local landmarks – for people to colour-in for free amid the first lockdown.
He made his entire archive of prints available as black and white downloads so people could print them out at home and colour in with their children.
He added: “I held weekly Zoom classes, which taught children several different scientific themed lists, such as the order of the planets in the solar system, the first 10 chemical elements in the periodic table, and the contents of an atom.
"This was all done by drawing cartoons, and it ended up being more popular with adults than their children – I couldn’t believe it.”
Andy Street’s 20-year transport plan – due to be completed in 2040 – envisions 150 miles of new Metro lines and around 380 new stops. It calls to reopen long-closed railway stations, as well as pioneering Very Light Rail technology and driverless vehicles.
Mr Street said: “I love Ben’s new version of my Tube-style map. By including so many landmarks it really illustrates how the plan would link up all of our communities across the region.
“It’s a brilliant piece of work by someone who’s already shown his dedication to the community and I’m very grateful.”
The artwork is being shared on social media, with black and white versions included. They can be downloaded and coloured in via andystreet.org.uk
