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Wednesday 14 Mar 2018

World class photography exhibition embarks on journey of UK stations

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National

Visitors to four of Network Rail’s managed stations will soon be able to view some of the most breathtaking images of landscapes from across the UK.

A free exhibition displaying top entries from the 2017 Landscape Photographer of the Year competition will continue its national tour of some of the UK’s busiest railway stations after a successful two-week showcase at London Bridge.

The next leg of the exhibition opens today,  Wednesday (14 March), in Edinburgh Waverley station and will run for just over two weeks, closing on Saturday 31 March. This will be followed by a tour of 57 winning and selected images at the following stations:

• Leeds (2 to 22 April)
• Manchester Piccadilly (23 April to 5 May)
• Birmingham New Street (7 to 19 May)

Network Rail is using space at its stations to provide a compelling setting for the prestigious display, allowing commuters, shoppers and station visitors to appreciate some of the most majestic photographs of the British landscape - from atmospheric views of the misty Scottish wilderness to powerful images of stormy seas and iconic meandering rivers.

The exhibition also includes the 2017 winner of the Network Rail ‘Lines in the Landscape’ award, a category which challenges entrants to best encapsulate how Britain’s railway relates to its surrounding landscape. Photographed by Jon Martin, the winning image is a stunning shot of the first train crossing Barmouth bridge, Wales after sunrise.

As winner of the ‘Lines in the Landscape’ award, Jon will receive an exclusive visit to Britain's favourite railway landmark, the Forth Bridge in Scotland where, weather permitting, he will have the chance to photograph the 127-year old railway bridge from areas not accessible to the general public. Network Rail will arrange for Jon to take the engineers' lift to the top of this iconic structure to capture some amazing views of the River Forth and see the Bridge from a completely different perspective.

Commenting on his win, Jon Martin, said:

“I was thrilled and stunned in equal measure on discovering that I had won the Network Rail Award. The bridge across the challenging terrain of the Mawddach Estuary at Barmouth is extraordinary. My favourite viewpoint was on a hill above the estuary looking down on the curves and lines in the landscape. I just had to wait for the next train to pass to get the shot I wanted.”

David Biggs, managing director at Network Rail Property said:

“Hosting this unique exhibition tour is another example of how we are using the space in our stations to stage innovative events that not only appeal to people already using our stations to travel but also entice people from surrounding communities.

“Over the last five years, the display has proved to be a great way of surprising and delighting our customers, whilst making our stations destinations in their own right. This year the standard of images is higher than ever and we hope they will be enjoyed by the millions of visitors and passengers who use our stations every day.”

Awards founder, Charlie Waite added:                                    

 “Network Rail’s invaluable support has given us the opportunity to take the Landscape Photographer of the Year exhibition to some of the biggest stations in Britain and has made it one of the most accessible exhibitions in the country.

“Every region within Britain offers inspiration to the landscape photographer and this tour gives as wide an audience as possible a chance to view the wonderful photographs that result from the creative forays of our talented winners.”

The Awards are held in association with VisitBritain and the GREAT Britain campaign. The Awards book, Landscape Photographer of the Year Collection 11, by AA Publishing, featuring all 148 winning & commended entries from this year’s competition, is available now. Full details at: www.take-a-view.co.uk