Celebrating Railway 200

Chelford CE Primary School is proud to contribute to the Railway 200 art project with a vibrant display of pupils' artwork that will be showcased at Chelford Station. Each class has explored different aspects of railway heritage through creative media, reflecting the evolution of rail travel and its impact on the local community.

Class 1 pupils embarked on a visual time-travel adventure, creating a series of images depicting trains across the ages. From the earliest steam locomotives to modern high-speed trains, their artwork captures the changing designs, colours, and functions of rail transport. The children used a variety of materials, including oil pastel and brush inks to illustrate how trains have evolved while remaining a symbol of connection and progress.

Class 2 pupils took inspiration from American pop artist Jim Dine, known for his expressive depictions of everyday tools and mechanical objects. Their work focuses on the inner workings of train engines - gears, bolts, levers, and pistons - transformed into bold, colourful compositions. This exploration of machinery not only taught pupils about engineering but also encouraged them to view mechanical parts as art forms in their own right.

Class 3 pupils created a collaborative mural inspired by the landscape studies of David Hockney, particularly his use of perspective, vibrant colour, pattern and texture. Their piece represents the journey between Manchester and Chelford, reimagined through the eyes of our young artists capturing local landmarks, rolling countryside and moments of travel. The mural reflects both the physical journey and the imaginative experience of travel, viewed through a contemporary lens.

Together, these projects form a rich, multi-layered artistic celebration of railways—past, present, and future—marking 200 years of railway innovation and its ongoing importance to our communities.

View our full gallery below:

Railway 200 art project