Vibrant new artwork on the diverse rail memories of local people has been unveiled at Bicester North Station, transforming the station overbridge into a colourful showcase of community stories. The project, called “Tracks of Our Lives”, was delivered by Oxfordshire Community Rail Partnership (OxCRP) and funded by Chiltern Railways’ Community Investment Fund. The initiative was also match funded by Community Rail Network.
The installation brings together illustrations inspired by personal memories shared by residents, commuters, volunteers and families who use the station. These stories were gathered through interviews , passenger conversations and outreach sessions held across the local area.
A launch event took place at Bicester North today (Tuesday 24 March), and was attended by contributing illustrator, Francesca Esme Morris, and poet Jonny Fluffypunk, who performed live poetry readings from the collection.
Michael Stewart, Commercial & Customer Strategy Director at Chiltern Railways’ said:
“The new artwork on Bicester North’s overbridge is a wonderful example of the community coming together to enhance their local area.
“The artwork is vibrant, colourful and conveys delightful rail memories from residents of Bicester. We’re proud to fund projects like this through our Community Investment Fund, supporting social and cultural initiatives across our network.”
Alayne McDonald. Community Rail Development Manager at from Oxfordshire Community Rail Partnership, said:
“Railways are part of everyday moments, big and small, and Tracks of Our Lives celebrates those moments through stories, poetry, illustration, and audio.
“We are delighted to celebrate this project alongside Chiltern Railways today, and OxCRP remains committed to working with local communities to enhance station environments – creating vibrant, inclusive, and inspiring spaces that reflect the communities they serve.”
The Community Investment Fund supports projects that deliver social, economic and environmental benefits along the Chiltern Railways route. It enables community groups and organisations to enhance local spaces, improve wellbeing, and connect people with their railway in meaningful ways.
The public are invited to visit Bicester North Station to view the finished artwork, which will remain on permanent display. The station artwork is also accompanied by a Community Story Booklet and audio exhibition, all available to download and enjoy for free from OxCRP’s website here.
More information on Chiltern Railways’ Community Investment Fund can be viewed here.
Photo credit: Chiltern Railways