EMBELLISHED CANVAS PRINT

Inspiration

She is depicted here at night visiting Leamington Spa Station, after recent rain.

On the left of the painting we see the gardens and the train hedge on Platform 2 prepared and maintained by the The Friends of  Leamington Station who are Volunteers.

As a local railway artist, a born brummie and lover of steam trains, Kevin felt compelled to create and paint the magnificent Coronation Class locomotive named City of Birmingham no 6235,which was built at Crewe Works in 1939 and ran on British Railways until its withdrawal from service in 1964 and moved into preservation.
It was on show at Birmingham Science Museum in Newhall Street until 1997, which he went to see in all its glory in the late 1960s.

It was then moved to Think Tank, Birmingham Science Museum in Digbeth Birmingham.
Kevin went along to see it there around the turn of the century.
He was somewhat disappointed to see that the loco seemed to be crowded out by other exhibits in too close proximity to it.
Too many exhibits in the way to get a full appreciation of her grandeur.
She seemed lost and forgotten and was hardly a soul there at the time in the Museum to witness her beauty.

Kevin’s inspiration for the painting began knowing that in his opinion this beautiful locomotive should really be out of the Museum and running on the rail network and working as part of steam railway preservation and enjoyed by steam enthusiasts.

It is also 75 years this year since this locomotive was destreamlined and was the first in its class after World War 2 to undergo this change.

Further inspiration came from looking at the fabulous railway art of Terence Cuneo and Philip D Hawkins
and their portrayal of Coronation pacifics on the canvas.

Volunteers enjoying a well earned coffee after a gardening session

Train Hedge created by Friends of Leamington Station

Romance of Steam

Kevin Alun Parrish © 2021