Public To Vote For Favourite UK Railway Artworks As Modern Railway Celebrates 200th Anniversary

1:01 AM 4th February 2025

frontpage

Artworks in the longlist include Passenger Express The Symbol of Comfortable Travel (London, Midland and Scottish Railway poster artwork) by Norman Wilkinson (1878–1971). © National Railway Musuem

Art lovers across the world are being invited to choose their favourite UK railway-themed artworks, as part of this year’s celebration of 200 years of the modern railway.

In a unique partnership between art education charity Art UK and the Railway 200 campaign, people have until midnight on Friday 11 April to pick their top three artworks from a longlist of 200, which has been compiled by Art UK and its museum partners. The artworks have been chosen from 94 public collections across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and include works dating from the 1830s to the 21st century.

Image: National Railway Museum Science & Society Picture Library (left); Liverpool Street Station by Edward Bawden (1903–1989).
© The estate of Edward Bawden.

Artists in the Railway 200 Gallery include renowned railway painters such as Terence Cuneo and Norman Wilkinson, alongside famous names such as Lucien Pissarro and J. M. W. Turner. The subjects include many themes linked to railways, from Anthony Stones’ sculpture of a Victorian Railway Navvy to William Powell Frith’s oil painting The Railway Station and illustrator Clara Vulliamy’s work depicting the official naming of a train.

Arts Minister Sir Chris Bryant MP said:
“From the first puff of smoke from a locomotive the railway and its stations have captured the imagination of artists. Through this wonderful array of artworks, Art UK has shown the true cultural and historical significance of the rail industry. I encourage everyone to vote for their favourite pieces and I hope these celebrations will help more people to be inspired by our beloved railways.”

Alan Hyde from Railway 200 said:
“The railway has shaped our cultural landscape and long inspired artists down the ages, and it continues to be a source of inspiration. We hope that, in rail’s bicentenary year, more people will appreciate the cultural contribution of the railway and travel by train to enjoy at first hand the amazing work of talented artists who have enriched our lives. We’re delighted to team up with Art UK to showcase the best of railway-inspired art and engage with a wide range of art and rail lovers.”

Andrew Ellis, Chief Executive of Art UK, said: “We are thrilled to be giving the public the chance to vote for their favourite railway artwork. The long list of artworks shows the wide range of artists who have been inspired by train travel and gives an insight into the wonderful richness of the UK’s collections of publicly owned art. There are 132 named artists and 94 collections represented in The Railway 200 Gallery and we hope that people from across the world will enjoy exploring these artworks and voting for their favourites.”

Image: The Higgins Bedford (centre); Euston Station Loading the Travelling Post Office by Grace Lydia Golden (1904–1993).
© Royal Mail Group Ltd. Image credit The Postal Museum

The 20 most popular artworks chosen by the public will be announced on World Art Day (15 April) and form an online exhibition on the Art UK website until 31 December 2025. Art lovers will then be able to vote again for an outright winner from the top 20. The world’s favourite UK railway art will be announced on 9 June, the birthday of rail pioneer George Stephenson.

Anyone can register to vote for their three favourite artworks by visiting https://railway200.artuk.org/