Warwickshire Railways: Railway Art

Barry Freeman GRA

Barry Freeman was born in Northampton in 1937. He had ten years service in the Royal Navy and several more in the electronics and aviation industries. He then taught drawing and painting for eighteen years and then concentrated on his painting career full time from 1989. An avid railway enthusiast since early childhood, his combined love of art and railways is reflected in the detailed paintings in which he now specialises. He works mainly in oils taking up to two months to complete a painting - a similar amount of time being spent on research in the personal library of books and photographs he has built up over the years. Barry is a member of the Guild of Railway Artists for some other views of Barry's work see his home page on the www.railart.co.uk. Prints of Barry's paintings can be obtained by contacting Barry.

When I commented that 'I was amazed that the paintings were oils (Barry's favourite medium) as they have a delicacy I normally associate with watercolours' Barry responded, 'The paintings are all in oils. Several are 3ft x 2ft, so reducing them to thumbnail size tends to make them look more photographic. They are all painted with thin layers of paint, finishing up with very small brushes, which explains the amount of time they take to paint and the amount of detail, which the people I paint for tend to demand. If it were left to me I'd probably be much more impressionistic!'

All the images on this page, and the linked larger versions, are copyright of Barry Freeman MGRA. None maybe used without the artists' permission.

Ref: bf1 - B Freeman Bright Intervals 'Castle' class 4-6-0 No. 7027 'THORNBURY CASTLE' passing Leamington Spa General with the down 'Cambrian Coast Express'

Ref: bf3 - B Freeman Indian Summer 'Coronation' class 4-6-2 No. 46256 'SIR WILLIAM A. STANIER F.R.S.' re-starting a down express from Rugby Midland

Ref: bf5 - B Freeman The Hibernian Connection 'Royal Scot' class 4-6-0 No. 46141 'THE NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT' with the down 'Irish Mail' at Rugby No 5 signal box

Ref: bf4 - B Freeman Autumn Frosts 'Coronation ' class 4-6-2 No. 46229 'DUCHESS OF HAMILTON' at Stretton-under-Fosse with the up 'Caledonian

Ref: bf6 - B Freeman Winter Wayfarers 'Coronation' class 4-6-2 No. 6221 'QUEEN ELIZABETH' with the northbound 'Coronation Scot' at Stretton-under-Fosse

Ref: bft2 - B Freeman Out to Grass Edge Hill Light Railway 0-6-0T No 2 is seen standing in line abandoned near Kineton circa 1946

Ref: bf7 - B Freeman The down Royal Scot The down 'Royal Scot' is seen about to pass under the wooden footbridge at Rugby in 1959 behind No. 46245 'City of London'

Ref: bf7 - B Freeman The Royal Scot The up 'Royal Scot' powered by ex-LMS 4-6-2 No 46232 'Duchess of Montrose' passes under the 'Birdcage' bridge