Oxenholme Station Becomes a Gallery as well as a Gateway for the Lakes

LONDON and KENDAL, England, June 13, 2011 -

An exhibition of public art has opened at Oxenholme Lake
District station, a popular tourism gateway for visitors to Cumbria
on the West Coast Main Line.

The work in the exhibition has been undertaken by undergraduate
students at Kendal College and represents real commissions for them
to produce art to be seen by the public.

The scheme was initiated by the Lakes Line Community Rail
Partnership and sponsored by 12 local businesses and attractions.
Help has also been given by Virgin Trains, the company which
manages the station, which is the junction for Kendal and
Windermere.

The 12 works of art have been placed in waiting rooms, on walls
and on railings so that they are easily visible to passengers
arriving at or passing through Oxenholme station.

After touring the exhibits today (Monday 13 June),Tim Farron, MP
for Westmorland and Lonsdale, said: “I congratulate the Community
Rail Partnership, Kendal College, Virgin Trains and all the
sponsors for their vision and actually making this project a
reality.   I would also like to particularly praise the
students whose magnificent work is on show at the station. What
they have done is truly inspirational and really lights up the
station.”

 He added: “Oxenholme station is iconic as the gateway to
the Lake District. I was very impressed this morning to see so many
foreign tourists who had been visiting the Lake District changing
between trains at Oxenholme on their way from Windermere to
Edinburgh.”

Chairman of the Lakes Line Community Rail Partnership, Tim Owen,
commented: “It is wonderful to see how the local businesses, the
college and the train operating companies have worked together to
help promote this beautiful destination. The students have
benefitted from having real commissions that will be seen by
possibly millions of people and this area will benefit from
additional visitors who are inspired by the beauty of the art and
of the destination.”

Jim Trotman, Community Rail Partnership Officer, Furness and
Lakes Lines, said: “It is anticipated that this art will inspire
travellers to visit the area, to the benefit of the local
economy.”

Stuart Davison, Station Manager for Virgin Trains in Cumbria,
said: “We are delighted to support the Community Rail Partnership
and the students of Kendal College in this way. It’s a great
opportunity for them to show off these works of art in an unusual
setting and to encourage even more people to visit this beautiful
area of England by train.”

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