West Midlands Railway reveals ‘Trains of Thought’ display at Marston Green station

Two thought provoking artworks have been installed at a West Midlands Railway (WMR) station to stir the imagination of railway passengers.

Following the success of the ‘Trains of Thought’ project in 2024, the display at Marston Green station has been refreshed with two new banners on the platforms.

Theatre in Education (TiE) charity Big Brum held railway-themed workshops with children from Marston Green Infant Academy. Inspired by the youngsters’ conversations, the artwork features direct quotes from the children while they played, danced and painted their own railway carriages.

Representatives from Big Brum and WMR hosted teachers, students and parents from Marston Green Infant Academy at the station to officially reveal the new work.

Cara Higgs, community strategy manager at WMR said: “When Big Brum came to us with the idea of installing new artwork, we were excited to help. The ‘Trains of Thought’ project celebrates imagination, and who better to remind us to think more creatively than four and five-year-olds? We hope these artworks encourage our Marston Green customers to reflect on where their train of thought takes them during their journey with us, and most of all, we hope they make people smile.”

Ben Ballin, educationalist at Big Brum, said: “We wanted this project to give people a little lift as they started their journeys, and to set them thinking. We love the way that the children’s quotes are all about happiness and inclusivity. Working in TiE, we are always amazed by the way children’s minds work, so this display gives us a chance to celebrate their ways of thinking and inspire adults to tap into their own imagination.”

Big Brum is an Arts Council England funded charity which delivers live theatre, workshops and teacher support to schools in and around the West Midlands.

To find out more about the project, visit https://bigbrum.org.uk/about-trains-of-thought.