The Bentham Line (Leeds – Morecambe Community Partnership) won the “Community Creative Projects and Station Arts” award at the Community Rail Awards at the Swansea Arena on March 18th.

The award was for their “Rail to Sail” project which included a newly commissioned large piece of artwork that now adorns the passenger lounge at Heysham, which shows the newly commissioned ferry ‘Manxman’ launched in 2023, and a train, highlighting the smoothness and ease of passengers transferring between train and boat in order to continue their journeys.

Children from St Peter’s Church of England School in Heysham also created another piece of artwork which currently sits at the buffer stops at the station under the “Rail to Sail” banner, it is the latest piece of artwork to be put on display alongside other artworks at the station.

This was not the only award the Bentham Line received. The Friends of Bentham Station (FOBS) won the Gold level “It’s Your Station” Certificate of Excellence. While Chairman of the partnership Gerald Townson came second in the photographic competition in the category “Capturing the essence of Community Rail”.

his photograph “All Friends Together” shows the “Grand Day Out” Bentham Line booklet and correlated panels that are displaced at certain stations along the line.

The line was also nominated for the “best Marketing Campaign” and for another photograph on the creation of wildlife habitats.

The Bentham Line was delighted to engage with so many local partners on this multi-aspect project which included ‘first-class’ artwork for the station and port terminal together with panels recording the history of rail and sea journeys to the Isle of Man over the last 125 years.”

Gerald Townson, chairman of the CRP

It was pleasing to see our project “Rail to Sail” which was developed within the local community bringing together a multitude of diverse partners, achieve success in this year’s Community Rail Awards. The involvement of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company brought together two different transport operators in a unique partnership.”

Brain Haworth, a Community Rail Partnership Officer for the Bentham Line

The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company are delighted to have been part of a joint initiative with partners from the local community to enhance a rail and sail facility at Heysham Port. Special thanks to the children from St Peter’s School and to the Bentham Line volunteers for all their hard work.”

Alice Rice, Terminal Manager at Heysham Port

Set up in 2006, the Leeds – Morecombe Community Rail project is based at their offices in Bentham. The line runs from Heysham and Morecombe via Lancaster and Carnforth before heading to Skipton, Keighley and Leeds, The route passes through the stunning landscape of the Lune, Wenning and Aire valleys, offering a vital cross-country link between the West and East Coast Mainlines.