Penistone Line Partnership is pleased to unveil new art and information boards at West Yorkshire’s Honley Station. The partnership was funded by AmcoGiffen who worked to extend several platforms on the Penistone Line in 2020, to allow new train units to carry more passengers. AmcoGiffen made it possible for some weather damaged artwork created in 2019 by the Children’s Art School to be reworked. AmcoGiffen were also keen to work with local communities on a STEAM learning project (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths). Due to lockdown the project changed from workshops to an online competition to encourage learning and thinking about innovation for future green energy for the UK’s rail network and promote career opportunities in rail. The entries received were outstanding and Penistone Line Partnership would like to thank the children and parents who spent a great deal of time with their submissions. Our favourite designs included green energy & green transportation.
The eight new information panels are themed with different topics: Green building design; Recycle/Re-use: Green Transport; The Environment; Smart technology; Communities; along with panels showing details of the competition and the winners. The boards show an image of the design, a short description by each child on their ideas, and information for passengers on future technology and how they can help their local railway station. Honley Railway Station is used by pupils at Honley High School, so the information boards are well placed to encourage a few engineers of the future!
Rowena Chantler, community rail officer for Penistone Line Partnership commented: “We love working with young people, and especially seeing their creative ideas! We hope to be able to get back to visiting schools in the not too distant future.”
David Hughes, sustainability and assurance manager for AmcoGiffen commented: “We are pleased to have been able to support and encourage young people to engage with the railway and for them to think and develop ways in which it could become more sustainable in the future.”
