Best-loved railway art unveiled after global vote
A painting of a diesel train on the shore of Bassenthwaite Lake in Cumbria by poster designer Barber is one of the shortlisted artworks
- Published
A global vote has unveiled a shortlist of the UK's best-loved railway artwork to celebrate 200 years of the modern railway.
Twenty paintings have been selected, nine of which are held at the National Railway Museum in York.
The public has now been invited to choose an outright winner to be announced on 9 June, the birthday of rail pioneer George Stephenson.
Shortlisted artwork includes paintings by 14 artists, such as renowned railway painter Terence Cuneo.
A painting of Clapham Junction by Terence Tenison Cuneo features in York's National Railway Museum
Famous works by J.M.W. Turner and Eric Ravilious are also included in the final 20, along with two works by Norman Wilkinson, whose paintings are featured in popular travel posters.
Female painters Anna Todd, Ann Emily Carr and Grace Lydia Golden also made it into the shortlist.
The top 20 were selected by a public vote from a longlist of 200 artworks compiled by art education charity Art UK.
They were drawn from 11 public collections in the UK, including the National Railway Museum, Hopetown Darlington and The Postal Museum.
Nearly 4,000 votes were cast, according to organisers.
The painting Service By Night by David Shepherd was selected from a longlist
Heritage Minister Baroness Twycross said: "For two centuries, our railways have carried passengers and freight as well as inspiring artistic creativity across Britain.
"This remarkable collection showcases how deeply trains are woven into our cultural fabric."
She added she had been "delighted" to see such a diverse shortlist and encouraged people to vote for their favourite.
Anyone can register for the final vote to choose the nation's favourite, with polls closing at midnight on 1 June.
The paintings will be displayed in The Railway 200 Gallery in an exhibition on the Art UK website until 31 December 2025.
Railway 200 commemorates the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825 when George Stephenson drove Locomotion No.1 a distance of 26 miles (42km) between Shildon, Darlington and Stockton in the north east of England.
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