2025 marks the 200th anniversary of the railway revolution, the celebrations are being spearheaded by the rail industry and heritage railways across the country. To mark the anniversary, with funding from The Arts Society Alresford, the Watercress Line is working with over 20 individuals and community groups across Hampshire and further afield to create a textile timeline of train travel including depictions of Hampshire’s lost railways including the Sprat and Winkle line (Romsey to Andover), the Meon Valley Line, the Hayling Island Billy Line and the Watercress Line across the middle of Hampshire. Other groups are depicting the last generation of steam, railways in popular culture, and music and song, as well as how the railways standardised time and some of the early pioneers of the railways.
Over the next 6 months these groups, ranging from craft and sewing enthusiasts to textile students at Havant South Downs college, have taken a significant year of train travel or historical theme and will then interpret it in their own way. Every month project participants will be meeting online and in person to share their skills, knowledge, and enthusiasm for the project.
Lost Lines – The Hayling Billy
We now have 18 very enthusiastic people in our Billy Project, we are working on individual pieces relating to the Hayling Billy Line. We are using collage, appliquet, cross stitch, paint, embroidery, and stitch to make our pieces. These will then be put together to make an informative, beautiful piece of collaborative work.
The topics chosen are: The Billy Train, The level crossing at Langstone, The Wooden Station Masters Cottage at Langstone, The Billy going across the bridge, the boats from the train window, The Buddlia and butterflies, The shoreline beside the track with wading birds, The Billy Trail as it is now with cyclists, The Signal at Langstone, The Official Seal, Hayling Station, Hayling Train Poster, Children with buckets and spades at the Station, The sunset, A Schoolgirls memory of head out of the window smelling the smoke, The Last Train Ticket, map of Hayling Island plotting the Train Line and The Station Theatre. As you can imagine these will be small intricate designs. The whole group have really enjoyed researching their chosen topics and have become quite passionate about the Hayling Billy. If they tried to close the line now there would be 18 ladies to deal with. What great memories this has evoked!
Railway holidays
To show some of the work that is bing done as part of this project, our volunteer X shares what they have done so far below:
I first researched the seaside holiday and found brilliant information on promenading, bathing machines for privacy and the joy of musical events at the magnificent hotels that catered to these travellers. Along with this, I came across some early postcards and wanted to show this through the work too, hence the shell design at the bottom of the panel.
After the research, I completed a very rough colour sketch to ensure I had the colours right and have now transferred it to the correct size so I can get the perspective right. Choosing the right materials for each section has been easier with the research to guide me and I’m excited to get going with the shells and foliage especially (and a little nervous over the hotel and train!) I will be drawing each piece of the panel in more detail before cutting it out to use for easier reference when sewing.
I have loved all kinds of sewing and artwork since childhood and always have a project (or 5) on the go – and normally to a tight deadline I’ve made for myself! When I saw the message from Dan for volunteers I didn’t hesitate to email; I am really excited to be part of a group of people that share similar interests to me, and for the opportunity to create something that others can enjoy. The challenge and sense of community is wonderful, and I already know I’ll miss it when the project is complete.
Next March the 20 panels will tour local libraries and venues across Hampshire before they return to the railway in late 2025.
More information about railway 200 can be found here: https://railway200.co.uk/about-railway-200/
Author: Daniel Ball
Bio: Dan is the education and outreach coordinator for the Watercress Line heritage railway, and has been in post for just over two years. He has a strong background in museum and heritage learning and community engagement through his previous posts which have included working in a number of museums across Hampshire, including the Army flying museum near Andover, Winchester military museums, Sea City Museum and the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth. He has coordinated a wide range of community projects in many different museum roles including knitting a giant scarf for HMS Alliance at the royal navy submarine museum to working with community groups to co-curate mini exhibitions as part of the Army flying museums project eagle