Design a royal carriage on the Isle of Wight!
THE Isle of Wight Steam Railway has been awarded £7540 from the Arts Council’s Let’s Create Jubilee Fund to challenge 10 island schools to design and build a carriage fit for a member of the royal family.
The railway will be working in partnership with English Heritage’s Osborne House in East Cowes and artist Anthony James (Creaturama based at Arreton Barns) on the project.
It will include a training session for teachers, focusing on historic royal connections with the island railways and Osborne House (including Whippingham station, which was built for Queen Victoria’s household).
There will be a free junk modelling workshop and an exhibition of the children’s models and designs, with the winners awarded their very own ‘Jubilee Journey’ – a ride on the railway, a visit to the Train Story Museum, lunch at Osborne House, and a discovery visit on the theme of ‘The Queen Is Coming!’
Osborne House was built between 1845 and 1851 for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert (who designed it himself ) as a summer home and rural retreat.
Victoria died there on January 22, 1901, after which King Edward VII, who had never liked the house, presented it to the state on the day of his coronation, with the royal pavilion being retained as a private museum to Victoria.
Fifties closure
Whippingham station was opened by the Ryde & Newport Railway in 1875. At first it was for private use only, but eventually became a public request-only stop.
Passenger numbers were very low and the station was closed on September 21, 1953, although its crossing loop remained in use until 1956.
IoWSR heritage and learning manager Sarah Girling said: “We are very pleased to have been awarded this funding to celebrate such a historic event and to support the children of the Isle of Wight in their learning.
“As an educational charity, we want to ensure that children enjoy their education in a creative and engaging way, and working with both English Heritage and our local artist, Anthony James, who has a background in exciting junk modelling projects, will help us fulfil this.”
The grant is one of 704 creative platinum jubilee celebrations for which Arts Council England and UK community foundations (in this case, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation) have provided a total of £4.58 million.