Artist’s work will be used as poster for reopening rail line
THE work of an award-winning Devon artist has been chosen to launch the reopening of the Dartmoor railway line connecting Okehampton and Exeter.
Artist Becky Bettesworth has collaborated with Network Rail, GWR, the Department for Transport, Devon County Council and the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership in the use of her Dartmoor Travel poster for the line.
The reopening will be the first railway line to be reinstated under the Department for Transport’s ‘Restoring your Railway’ initiative and will be the first branch line opened for regular passenger services on Network Rail’s Western Route, the GWR network in England, since the Heathrow line opened in 1998. It is the longest line opened for regular passenger services in Devon and Cornwall for nearly 100 years.
Network Rail, GWR and partners are working closely to achieve the common aim of restoring passenger rail services to Okehampton by the end of 2021. This year is the 150th anniversary of the railway first arriving in Okehampton in 1871 and is also the 70th anniversary of the creation of Dartmoor National Park.
Becky’s artwork was considered the perfect fit for the re-opening as it is inspired by the railway and travel posters from the 1930s. She said: “I am delighted to be involved with this wonderful project. Seeing my artwork used to promote the re-opening of the railway is very special”. Becky’s seaside prints and travel posters can be found at www.beckybettesworth.co.uk