Oct 2024
Discover the wonders of Somerset in the new illustrated map on display at Taunton Station. Working with local artist Susie Thomas and Great Western Railway, Severnside Community Rail Partnership have supported the creation of a huge new mural which can be found at the North entrance to the station.
Spotting an opportunity, Station Manager Adam Hopkins approached Severnside Community Rail Partnership for advice on sourcing local talent to brighten up the plain wall sitting alongside the gate line. After consulting local station users, a plan was hatched to create a colourful illustration of Somerset and the attractions that could be found within a reasonable distance. The design would also showcase many businesses and landmarks of Taunton Town Centre too.
Susie Thomas was selected for the commission owning to her passion for all things local, her creative flair and experience designing the Taunton Christmas Tree Trail and Arts Trail. Keen to represent the County well, she worked closely with Great Western Railway’s Marketing Team as well as Visit Somerset to shortlist the destinations to include in the illustration.
Susie Thomas, Artist, said:
“As a Somerset Illustrator who loves my home town of Taunton (and also has a bit of an obsession with maps) working on this project has been incredibly exciting! I thought I knew the County pretty well but illustrating almost 40 of our wonderful landmarks and attractions introduced me to a few new ones and taught me a little bit more about our beautiful County. I used to commute by train to work in Bath and became very familiar with the railway station at Taunton – it’s really special to have my work on the wall for all to see. The artworks here have been created using a combination of painting and digital artwork.”
Giles Adams, Chair, Visit Somerset, said:
“Travel is about purpose, excitement and discovery and innovative maps have always been an essential part of journey planning. This creative and inspirational map shows the connectivity to and from Somerset’s county town, Taunton, bringing our local destinations closer to life’s adventure.”
Adam Hopkins, Station Manager, Great Western Railway, said:
“We’re thrilled with the new illustrated map and it has certainly gone down well with customers passing through the station. We’re grateful to Susie Thomas for brilliantly capturing so much of what the county has to offer, and to Severnside Community Rail Partnership for bringing this project to fruition.”
On Thursday 3rd October 2024, the final piece was officially unveiled, revealing a colourful and impressive 4×2 metre illustration. Each of the destinations has a detailed icon which pops out of the design to grab your attention, and the railway stations highlight an easy way to explore some of these by train.
Severnside Community Rail Partnership are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate and strengthen their relationships with the station team, the local community and businesses. They would like to thank Jo Hake at Great Western Railway for her expertise and support with the project, the Station Team for getting the project off the ground and to Susie Thomas for her dedication and creativity.
All images copyright Brian Garrett/Taunton Trains