The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, in collaboration with Darlington Borough Council, has recently decorated Darlington town centre with London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) style posters by renowned railway artist Stephen Millership. The designs of the posters were inspired by the iconic posters of the LNER from the 1930s and 1940s.

Tornado 10 Years in Steam was produced to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the completion of new Peppercorn class A1 ‘Pacific’ No. 60163 Tornado at Darlington Locomotive Works in 2008. The poster was designed by Stephen Millership and drew its inspiration from the iconic Silver Jubilee poster by Frank Newbould published by the LNER to mark the entry into service of Britain’s first streamlined train – which called at Darlington - in 1935.

A Giant Resurrected has been produced to promote the construction of new Gresley class P2 ‘Mikado’ No. 2007 Prince of Wales at Darlington Locomotive Works. The poster was designed by Stephen Millership and drew its inspiration from the iconic Giants Refreshed poster by Terence Cuneo published by the LNER to mark the restoration of its locomotives from wartime Black liveries to Apple Green and Garter Blue liveries in 1947.

The original posters have now been turned into lamppost banners and will feature in the town centre for around six months.

Mark Allatt, Trustee, The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, commented, “The London & North Eastern Railway not only built some of the finest steam locomotives to operate in Great Britain but also promoted its services with some of the most iconic posters ever produced, working with artists including Tom Purvis, Frank Newbould and Terence Cuneo.

“As the re-creator of long-lost LNER steam locomotive designs, The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust wanted to use the designs to help celebrate Tornado’s tenth birthday and promote the construction of the seventh class P2 Prince of Wales by having the posters made into lamppost banners. We could think of no more appropriate way than to use the commissioned work to advertise in Darlington town centre, the birth place and home of No. 60163 Tornado and No. 2007 Prince of Wales. Stephen Millership’s work pays homage to the golden age of steam. We would like to again thanks Darlington Borough Council for its on-going support of the Trust.”

Councillor Nick Wallis, Darlington Borough Council’s cabinet member for leisure, local environment and transport, said,

“Darlington is the birthplace of the passenger railway and we’re rightly proud of our rail heritage. The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust is an incredible organisation that is building new steam locomotives here in Darlington for a worldwide audience and we’re delighted to be collaborating with them on this latest project.”