Railway 200 Community Grant Fund

Arts Connection – Cyswllt Celf

Cambrian 200 Mural

£500

Arts Connection – Cyswllt Celf have been awarded £500 to create a community mural in Welshpool celebrating the 200th anniversary of the railway. Working with Feathers Youth Club and a group of young adults with learning disabilities, participants will take part in artist-led workshops exploring railway history and local stories before designing and painting a railway-themed mural on a public bus stop. The project will include imagery of trains, landmarks, and community memories, transforming the space into a bright, welcoming and meaningful visual feature for the community and visitors. The funding will cover artist fees, materials, and refreshments, supporting an inclusive, creative project that promotes inclusion, cultural heritage, and skills development.

Cultivate

Welshpool Family Railway Day: A Journey Through Art & Yarn

£460

Cultivate have been awarded £460 to host a one-day, family-friendly celebration of Railway 200 at the Integrated Family Centre in Welshpool. In partnership with the centre, the event will include creative workshops where families design and paint a railway-themed mural panel, a railway-themed community picnic with local food and music, and an intergenerational “yarn bombing” activity to create a colourful knitted train installation. The funding will cover art materials, food, decorations, and publicity. The project will bring together children, families, and older adults to celebrate Welshpool’s railway heritage, strengthen community connections, and leave a lasting artistic legacy for all the community to enjoy.

Caersws Community Council

Caersws Railway Station Garden

£147

Caersws Community Council have been awarded £147 to create a sustainable, train-themed garden celebrating the traditional station gardens once cared for by Station Masters. Led by the Community Council and supported by local volunteers, the project will feature flowering plants and fruiting shrubs such as blackcurrants and strawberries to attract birds and wildlife. The garden will provide a welcoming, attractive space for travellers and visitors, support biodiversity, and offer volunteers a rewarding, team-building community activity.

Men Shed Newtown CIC

Stories of Newtown’s Station Lanterns

£500

Men Shed Newtown CIC have been awarded £500 to celebrate Newtown Station’s history through a creative lantern-making project inspired by the stories of the station’s traditional lanterns. Working with families, adults with learning difficulties, elderly residents, and people living with dementia, participants will take part in workshops to design and craft lanterns reflecting local railway heritage. The finished lanterns will be displayed within the station building of Platform 1 at Newtown Railway Station and showcased at a community open evening featuring a former station worker who once lit the lanterns. Run by Men Shed staff and volunteers, the project will foster intergenerational connection, reduce social isolation, and reignite historical memories while enhancing the station environment for residents and visitors alike.

Heritage Hub 4 Mid Wales

Sir Pryce Pryce-Jones Legacy Projects – Film

£500

Heritage Hub 4 Mid Wales have been awarded £500 to create a short film and exhibition celebrating Sir Pryce Pryce-Jones, who was a pioneering Newtown businessman, MP, and founder of the mail order industry, and his connection to the Cambrian Railways. Working in partnership with Newtown Library and Powys Together, the exhibition will be hosted at the library and include visits from local schools to learn about Pryce-Jones’ legacy and the railway’s vital role in his business operations. The film will also be shared with the National Library’s People’s Collection Wales, helping to preserve and promote local heritage while deepening community understanding in the area’s industrial and social history.

Borth Community Hub

Borth Community Hub Celebrates Railway 200

£450.40

Borth Community Hub has been awarded £450.40 to deliver an intergenerational art project celebrating the history and memories of the Cambrian Line in Borth since its opening in 1863. Bringing together participants of all ages, from toddlers to people in their 90s, the project will involve groups such as the Men’s Shed, Dementia Friendly Group, Family Centre, Youth Club, and local school children from Ysgol Craig Yr Wylfa. Together, they will create artwork reflecting personal railway memories, culminating in an exhibition in their Railway-Themed Community Café. The finished pieces will also be displayed in local venues such as Borth Station Museum and the community hall. The project will strengthen community connections, reduce loneliness, boost wellbeing, and celebrate shared heritage through creativity and storytelling.

Creative Hub Ceredigion

Off the rails / Oddi at y cledrau

£490

Creative Hub Ceredigion have been awarded £490 to create a large bilingual artwork inspired by Aberystwyth’s railway heritage and its role in connecting people to the seaside for wellbeing since Victorian times. Led by a grassroots, user-run group of Welsh and English speakers who face health challenges, and supported by an art therapist, participants will work collaboratively using photography, paint, collage, textiles, and found objects to reinterpret vintage railway posters. The finished piece will be displayed to welcome visitors at Aberystwyth Railway Station and will include an interactive QR code for public engagement. The project will celebrate the Cambrian Railway’s history, enhance the station environment, raise the group’s profile, and promote wellbeing and inclusion.

Cered: Menter Iaith Ceredigion

Ar Gerad

£500

Cered: Menter Iaith Ceredigion have been awarded £500 to collaborate with Menter Iaith Gwynedd on a special series of Welsh-language guided walks, Ar Gered, along the Cambrian Coast to celebrate 200 years of the railway. Running from November to March to coincide with the free travel offer for over-60s, the walks will bring together both fluent Welsh speakers and learners to explore the area’s landscapes, history, and railway heritage while promoting use of the Welsh language. The funding will support the creation of a professional promotional video showcasing one of the walks, helping to expand the project’s reach and establish it as an annual series. The initiative will strengthen community connections, boost Welsh language use, encourage sustainable rail travel, and raise awareness of local culture and heritage.

Trawsfynydd Public Hall

Link Trawsfynydd and the Cambrian

£382.68

Trawsfynydd Public Hall has been awarded £382.68 to create a large collaborative artwork celebrating the village’s historic connections with the Cambrian Railway. Using canvases, paints, and brushes, community members of all ages will design a detailed map showing the former railway routes linking Trawsfynydd to towns such as Bala, Dolgellau, and Porthmadog, alongside stories and memories from local residents. The project will culminate in an exhibition exploring the area’s rich railway heritage, including landmarks like the viaduct and cultural figures such as Hedd Wyn. By bringing together younger and older generations, the initiative will encourage storytelling, creativity, and pride in local history while strengthening community bonds and deepening understanding of the railway’s lasting impact on the area.

The Dragon Barmouth Ltd

Barmouth Bridge – The Making of Barmouth

£500

The Dragon Barmouth Ltd have been awarded £500 to run a two-day creative project for up to 18 young people, celebrating the history and impact of Barmouth Bridge and the railway on the town’s development. Led by award-winning performer and drama teacher Julian Evans, participants will collaboratively create and perform a bilingual music, dance, poetry, and drama piece exploring 200 years of railway heritage and its role in shaping Barmouth’s economy, culture, and identity. Supported by local volunteers and families, the project will culminate in a performance for the community. It will boost young people’s confidence, communication, and teamwork skills while instilling pride in their town’s history and fostering a lasting connection between generations through the arts.

Neuadd Pantperthog Village Hall

Railway 200 Pantperthog Community Art Project

£500

Neuadd Pantperthog Village Hall have been awarded £500 to run creative workshops in Winter 2025, bringing together community members, hall user groups, and alumni to collaboratively create an artwork celebrating Machynlleth Railway Station and the Cambrian Line. The completed piece will be offered for display at Machynlleth Railway Station, and an open day in Spring 2026 will showcase the work alongside historical displays, films, shared stories, and refreshments. Involving participants of all ages, from playgroups to older adults, the project will strengthen community bonds, enhance wellbeing, reduce loneliness, and foster a sense of belonging and place while celebrating 200 years of local railway heritage.

Criccieth in Bloom

Potted Thyme Line

£500

Criccieth in Bloom have been awarded £500 towards the cost of updating and refreshing the art and history displays at Criccieth Railway Station in celebration of Railway 200. Working with Ysgol Treferthyr, Criccieth Memorial Hall, Creative Criccieth, local historians, and community groups, the project will create a new display titled “Potted Thyme Line” exploring the railway’s development between 1865 and 1869 and its impact on the town. Using historic photos, press cuttings, and artworks sourced from local archives, the updated exhibition will enhance the station’s appearance, engage both residents and visitors, and highlight the town’s strong community collaboration and shared heritage linked to the Cambrian Line.

Welsh Highland Railway

Railway 200 Interpretation Panel

£500

Welsh Highland Railway have been awarded £500 towards the cost of designing and installing a bilingual interpretation board at the entrance to its Porthmadog station, located beside the Cambrian Line. Developed by local museum volunteers and produced locally by Snowdonia Press, the board will illustrate the site’s rich transport history, including its connections to the Cambrian Line, the Gorseddau Tramway, and the old canal route Y Cyt. The project, supported by Porthmadog Town Council, will enhance a busy pedestrian area used daily by schoolchildren and visitors, educating the community about the town’s lost industrial heritage while improving the appearance of the site and leaving a lasting Railway 200 legacy.

Crefftwyr Cricieth Criccieth Crafters

Criccieth Castle Train

£500

Crefftwyr Cricieth Criccieth Crafters have been awarded £500 to create a decorative steam train installation at Criccieth Railway Station. The wooden train structure, built by the local men’s group, will be covered in colourful fabric and wool by Crefftwyr Cricieth and planted with perennial flowers selected by Criccieth in Bloom. Positioned safely on the far bank of the station, the artwork will transform a dull area into a vibrant and welcoming feature for travellers and the community. The collaborative project will bring together local groups, showcase community creativity, and enhance the station’s appearance as part of the Railway 200 celebrations.

Lingen Davies Cancer Support

Lingen Davies Cancer Support’s Colouring Pack

£500

Lingen Davies Cancer Support have been awarded £500 to create 250 fun, educational activity packs for children, themed around their mascot ‘Sunny’ travelling on the Cambrian Railway. The packs will include railway-themed colouring sheets, pencils, suncream sachets and child-friendly leaflets promoting sun safety and cancer awareness. Distributed at community events across Shropshire, Telford, Wrekin and Mid Wales, the packs will engage children and families in learning about cancer prevention in a memorable and accessible way. By linking the excitement of train travel with important health messages, the project will raise awareness, encourage early diagnosis and spread Lingen Davies’ vital work throughout the wider community.