A new mural co-created by a local youth group depicting famous local landmarks and a message that rail is safe and accessible for young people has taken pride of place at Nottingham Station.

The large-scale artwork, designed by the team at Imageskool and part-funded by Community Rail Network, has been painted on a wall near the station’s Queen’s Road entrance.

Base 51, a local youth group based in Nottingham, played a pivotal role in the creation of the mural, with young people aged 13-18 contributing their ideas to the depiction of famous Nottingham landmarks and the role rail can play in the journey from childhood to young adulthood.

The Railway Children, the Poacher Line CRP, and Robin Hood Line CRP were also instrumental in bringing the project to life, with funding also coming from East Midlands Railway (EMR) and CrossCountry Trains.

The mural features distinctive Nottinghamshire attractions including Creswell Crags and Wollaton Hall, as well as local dialect such as ‘Ey up Duck’, and ‘Meet me at the Left Lion.’

Kaye Robinson, community engagement manager at East Midlands Railway, said: “We were delighted to be able to support this project and help send the powerful message that our rail network should be safe for all.

“It’s a great piece of artwork that will brighten up the area, and we are encouraging members of the public to pop down and see it for themselves.”

James Mayle, artist/designer from Imageskool, said: “We were excited to once again collaborate with EMR on another amazing mural project, especially being able to work alongside Railway Children and the young people and staff from Base51.

“We have created a lasting piece of artwork inspired by our rail network being a safe and accessible way for young people to experience and explore areas outside of Nottingham.”

David Bentley, learning, development, and participation manager at Railway Children, said: “We are excited to have been involved in supporting EMR in creating this fantastic mural that depicts the influence of rail in a young person’s life and journey.

“We have been working closely with EMR and the rail industry to further promote the safety and well-being of young people on the rail network, and we continue to support them with their Safeguarding on Rail Scheme accreditation. We look forward to some new and exciting developments with them in the coming months.”