The schoolchildren of Brampton Primary school in Suffolk have helped to get their local train station twinned with Brampton station in Cumbria which is 300 miles away!
The pairing of the two stations has been marked with the unveiling of a brand new mural at the Suffolk station which was painted by the school's pupils.
A connection between the two Brampton stations has been enabled thanks to the East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership which works
promoting Greater Anglia's branch lines between Ipswich, Lowestoft and Felixstowe, and the Tyne Valley Community Rail Partnership.
The Tyne Valley partnership worked alongside pupils from Lanercost primary school in Cumbria who have also painted a mural at their own Brampton station. Both murals have been made into postcards which were sent between the pupils of both schools making the twinning of the two stations official.
Steve Jeal, Head of School at Brampton C of E Primary, said: “Our children were extremely excited to receive their postcards and connect with children from another part of the country. We are very pleased that our mural has also been made into a postcard so our children can reply.
“It has been a pleasure to work with both Tyne Valley and East Suffolk Lines community rail partnerships. The project has given the children a purpose and audience for their artwork.
“We hope our mural will be enjoyed by passengers that pass through Brampton train station for many years to come.”
Aaron Taffera, Chair of the East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership, said: “We were delighted to facilitate the link between the two primary schools and delighted with the new artwork which enhances this lovely station even further.”
Alan Neville, Greater Anglia's Community and Customer Engagement Manager said: “We're delighted that the station has officially been twinned with Brampton in Cumbria. Both are lovely examples of rural stations at the heart of their communities and are ideal for tourists looking to discover new hidden gems too, with the opportunity to leave the car behind and explore by rail.”
