The Gallery - The Guild of Railway Artists

Published: 11:00 PM October 2, 2013 Updated: 4:58 PM December 17, 2020

6 Railway artist David Noble from Rotherham, South Yorkshire - Credit: Archant

This month we feature the work of David Noble from Rotherham and fellow members of the Guild of Railway Artists

One of the handsome Peppercorn 'A1' Pacifics No.60131 'Osprey' leaves Leeds Central Station with the 'Yorkshire Pullman' bound for London, Kings Cross C1959. On the left a 'Jubilee' 4-6-0 No.45698 'Mars' awaits departure time with a Liverpool train whilst one of Copley Hill sheds' J50 tank engines busies itself with station pilot duties. The station closed to all traffic in 1967. - Credit: Archant

David Noble always knew he could draw and paint and has done so all his life. The inspiration for his railway work is taken from childhood days spending time with his father who was an engine driver. But it’s not the technical detail that enthrals him as with many railway enthusiasts but the people who worked on ‘the monsters’.

3 The Osprey waits at York by David Noble - Credit: Archant

‘I like to create scenes rather than paintings of trains. It’s the atmosphere surrounding trains, the smell, the smoke and the steam and the people who work with them that interest me, the railway community. My painting of the Spotters – that’s me, I was a schoolboy spotting trains. There was something satisfying about underlining the name of a train once you had seen it. There is something settling, very reassuring and nostalgic about trains. They always led to a holiday at the seaside. They were exciting, these dangerous monsters thundering into the station. And I love the names – the Osprey and Falcon, beautiful names.’

David belongs to the Guild of Railway Artists, an art association that started about 30 years ago and still going strong with a membership of around 150. Leading members such as David Shepherd, John Austin, Philip Hawkins and Malcolm Root are professional artists. The guild is supported by a number of patrons among them Dr Paul Atterbury, best known for his time on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow.

Annual exhibitions of members’ work are held throughout the UK with the latest at the National Railway Museum, Shildon until October 6th.

Membership is open to artists who can produce work in any chosen medium that has railway theme and is to an acceptable standard. More information can be found on the guild’s website railart.co.uk