Watch out for ghostly goings-on at Brighton railway bridge (From The Argus)
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Watch out for ghostly goings-on at Brighton railway bridge
9:20am Tuesday 12th February 2013 in News
Sculptor Jon Mills at work on the silhouette
A life-sized silhouette of an early steam locomotive is to be installed on a redundant railway bridge.
‘Ghost Train’ was created by local metalworker Jon Mills to be a nostalgic feature in the redevelopment of Brighton’s former railway works and sidings.
It will be a two-dimensional replica of the locomotive Jenny Lind, one of ten steam engines built in 1847 for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway.
Despite being built more than two years ago, the structure is to be installed on a grade II listed bridge crossing New England Road, Brighton, later this year.
Mr Mills, who is based in Robertson Road, Brighton, said the train was one of the first mass-produced locomotives.
He said: “Looking into the history of the New England Quarter, I wanted to do something based on a Victorian etching of the bridge and a locomotive crossing it.
“I started work on it a couple of years ago and it has been in flat pack storage ever since.”
Next month, Brighton and Hove City Council is set to agree a licence agreement with landowners Network Rail.
Special lighting will make the train appear and disappear, creating a ghostly presence.
Geoffrey Bowden, chairman of the council’s culture committee, said: “This is a fitting memorial to the railway works – a huge and |often unknown aspect of the city’s history.
“It’s also an achievement to have put this stretch of railway back into use – replacing one eco-friendly form of transport with another and providing some intriguing new views of the city.”
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