Chiltern Railways is putting the finishing touches to £350,000 of improvements to Haddenham & Thame Parkway station by introducing a sculpture of a red kite produced by Frederic Chevarin, a local Oxfordshire artist.
The extensive project has involved enhancements to pedestrian walkways, resurfacing of the main footbridge, replacement of shelters on platforms and at the bus interchange, new cycle repair facilities, enhanced CCTV coverage and security monitoring facilities and painting of the station exterior.
The sculpture of the popular bird of prey in flight, which is often seen above the station, is made of Creeton limestone and has been delicately cut and carved into shape with lines drawn on the stone to give detail and a feeling of movement.
Ties between artist and station could not be closer as the artist lives in Oxford where Haddenham residents will soon be able to travel once Chiltern's groundbreaking new rail link between London Marylebone and Oxford Parkway opens in October 2015.
Frederic has exhibited his work up and down the country and abroad, including recently at the Chelsea Flower Show. He is a Member of the Royal British Society of Sculptors (MRBS) and a member of the Oxford Art Society. Perfectly connected to the development of the new rail link, he is also a construction designer working on the new line between Oxford and London Marylebone.
Frederic Chevarin said: "I hope this sculpture will inspire commuters to take a minute to stop and think. The theme central to my research is movement and harmony. The ability to animate limestone, marble and alabaster is almost an obsession for me. Red Kite captures the essence of flight and the idea of gliding freely in the air. It certainly feels like the right home as during installation we noticed three red kites circling above it."
Graham Cross, Business Development Director at Chiltern Railways said: "The sculpture felt right for this station as red kites are constantly seen flying in the area; Haddenham and Thame Parkway also acts as the gateway to local nature attractions such as the Snakemoor nature reserve and St Tiggywinkles rescue centre. The Red Kite sculpture completes the improvement programme we've been making and we hope our customers are pleased with the transformation."
For more information about this project, please click here.
And for more information about Frederic Chevarin, please visit: www.frederic-chevarin.com.
