Railway station: a place where trains stop so that passengers can get on and off.
So reads the no-nonsense, plain-as-day, mundane definition. But stations are so much more. They are landmarks reflecting the ambitions, preoccupations, and style of the railway age and beyond. And they are places resonating with emotions connected with departing and arriving: romance, excitement, anticipation, boredom, anxiety and sadness. It is no wonder that railway stations and rail journeys are such ripe subjects for film, painting, poetry, novels or music whether it is the love affair that blossomed at the station in Brief Encounter, the adventures of The Railway Children, the stream train rhythms of Auden’s This is the Night Mail, Turner’s dynamic painting Rain, Steam and Speed or the 2015 Paula Hawkins’ psychological thriller, The Girl on the Train.
For the next two months, until the start of June, the Southeast Communities Rail Partnership is exhibiting a selection of poems by eight local poets, part of the Rye Harbour Writers, on the theme of Departure, at Rye station. Their first anthology of poetry and art, New Ways of Looking at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve came out in 2019, and they continue to meet once a month. While writing about migrating birds visiting and departing the reserve, the group made the connection with journeys travelling by rail – the views from the windows, observations on fellow passengers, the daydreams, memories and emotions that travel prompt, and ideas on the passing of time.
The featured poets are Jim Northover, Caroline Fraser, Hilary Wilce, Peter Thomason, David Cruickshank, Geoff Marshall, Lenka Medlik and Nick Russell. Each poster has a QR code to hear the poets reading their work. The display of their work was launched and celebrated last week with a Poets’ Tea Party with cake and scones and tea.
Six large posters are hung on the walls around the ticket office, printed large enough so that they can be read easily from a distance. The bold, eye-catching posters, each given a time of the 48 minutes past trains, are designed by the poet and artist, Jim Northover (who coincidentally designed one of the fonts that British Rail has used in the past) with the printing and framing organised by GTR / Southern Rail’s station manager, Kate Richards.
Catherine Simmons of the Southeast Communities Rail Partnership approached the group and suggested an exhibition in the station, and it has been organised by her successor as the Marshlink line officer, the artist Sara Grisewood. She has an office at the station and is planning exciting future exhibitions and events including the second part of the poetry group’s work in September, drawing workshops and an exhibition by local artists showing views of the town and the landscape around.
One of the objectives of the Community Interest Company Southeast Communities Rail Partnership is to improve and brighten railway stations to make them more welcoming through creating flower beds and planters on platforms and around the station, exhibiting artwork, and other projects. As well as aiming to encourage train travel this way, they are also actively involved in working with the local community to improve services. The Marshlink section already has volunteers working on the flower beds beside the station opposite Jempson’s as well as creating colourful planters on the station platform. At Ashford station, the new waiting room, Chuffers Rest, features recycled vintage train seats from an InterCity 70 and tables from a Class 365 Networker Express.
Volunteers are always welcome to help with maintaining the flower beds and planters, keeping the Marshlink stations and surrounding areas tidy or helping with other projects, so if interested contact the Marshlink line officer, Sara Grisewood.
Sara would also like to hear from any local artists with work showing scenes of local interest and places that tourists would be interested in visiting in and around Rye for a future exhibition.
Image Credits: Juliet Duff .
This is an excellent initiative. I travel by train from Rye once a week on average. I love language and literature, but often struggle with poetry. However, when I was last at the station, I read and enjoyed a couple of the pieces on display. 15.48 (“On the train” by Caroline Fraser) was a perfect prelude to my trip to Hastings.
I would urge you all to go along and read them. Better still, follow that with a train-ride through our beautiful countryside, and leave the pesky car at home!