‘Stunning’ heritage rail artwork at Kidderminster station
A 46-foot long, solid steel artwork, depicting the Severn Valley Railway’s flagship locomotive, is now in place at Kidderminster main line station. The project is the result of years of planning and determination by local woman Sue Langley.
Sue, who lives in Arley, formed the Wyre Forest & District u3a Station Adopters group in 2021, and with her colleagues, set about smartening up Kidderminster station, tending to the gardens and working with local heritage attractions to reflect the rich history of the town to passengers.
"When we started out on this adventure", said Sue, "We really had no idea how far we could take things, or where we’d end up. We thought we might be looking after a few planters, or something like that, but we soon spotted the opportunity to show just what the u3A can achieve when it puts its mind to it! We’re a national movement, with the motto 'learn, laugh, live'."
Sue felt that the Severn Valley Railway should form a key part of the heritage interpretation that the Adoption Group was working on. Her grandfather was a steam engine driver for British Rail, and as an SVR volunteer herself, she knew how important the heritage line is to the local area. She contacted the SVR.
"As soon as Sue got in touch, I knew this was a fantastic idea," said Lesley Carr, the SVR’s head of communications. "We wanted to get right behind this, and commissioned our designer, Marcin Wisniewski, to come up with a scheme that featured our flagship locomotive, 4930 ‘Hagley Hall’. The end result really is absolutely stunning, and it’s a huge credit to Sue and all the members of the Adoption Group, who’ve worked so hard to make this happen."
The Station Adopters chose Smethwick-based AJS Profiles, who used precision equipment to cut out the design in six separate pieces. The company also part-funded the cost of production, which Sue says was an enormous help: "This was such a boost for us, as we needed to find funding for the production and installation. We also received a donation in memory of a Kidderminster man, Andrew Davie, who sadly died in 2021. Without these kind contributions, we couldn’t have completed this project."
The heritage rail artwork complements other initiatives that the Station Adopters have put in place, including panels from the Museum of Carpet, and other places of historical interest around the Worcestershire town. There’s a repurposed boat planter symbolising Kidderminster’s twinning with the German fishing town of Husum. The volunteers have also transformed the long, sloping bank at the station entrance with colourful planting, herbs for passers-by to help themselves and a bug hotel for hibernating insects.
By Lesley Carr - Contributor
