On 27 September 2025, the modern railway will turn 200 years old! As part of the Railway 200 celebrations, the Watercress Line (the iconic stretch of heritage railway that runs 10 miles from New Alresford to Alton) is working with over 100 individuals and community groups across Hampshire to produce a textile depiction of the history of rail travel.
This project promises to be an incredible 3D timeline comprising 18 different banners, each showcasing a different moment in the railway’s history. From 27 March, the exhibition will begin an 18 month-long tour of community venues all across Hampshire to celebrate the work of these talented artists.
HSDC Havant’s Textiles department is incredibly proud to be contributing a panel to this amazing project! Their panel is focusing on 1829, the year that Robert Stephenson’s ‘Rocket’ was invented. ‘Rocket’ revolutionised the railway industry, with the machine proving that locomotion was a more efficient method of power compared to a stationary steam engine.
Havant’s contribution to the Railway 200 textile project.
Havant’s banner is a true testament to the hard work of all those who contributed to it, with its intricate detailing and diverse use of different materials truly exhibiting the talent of the Textiles department.
The students were able to embed the Railway 200 project within their coursework, in a project entitled Journeys. This project gave the students an opportunity to learn different techniques from a wide variety of different cultures. This included African weaving, Indonesian batik, North American quilt making, Boro stitch from Japan, Mexican applique and many more.
These techniques went hand in hand with using repurposed garments and materials to produce a truly special piece of artwork. Ruth Lacey, Course Manager of A Level Textiles at HSDC Havant, helped to supervise the students throughout the Railway 200 project, and said:
“It’s been great for the students to work on something together that will be on public display! They’ve supported each other really well and it’s helped to bring everyone close together to see that their efforts are all valued and appreciated.”
This project is not only a celebration of the railway’s 200th anniversary, but also of the incredible collaborative efforts of Havant’s Textiles students. Finalising the artwork was a long, considered process, and it has been a truly rewarding experience for all those involved.
To find out more about the Textiles course at Havant, please visit: https://www.hsdc.ac.uk/courses/havant-campus/a-level/textiles/
For more information on the Railway 200 celebrations, please visit: https://railway200.co.uk/