Heritage Tile Map for Hunmanby Railway Station

 

Friends of Hunmanby Railway Station had a very kind offer from a person who wishes to remain anonymous to pay for a full size North Eastern Railway Tile Map.

B. Edmond & Son local builders in Hunmanby since 1967, made no charge for their services and materials to put the heritage tiles up on the old station house wall. It measures 6 foot by 6 foot 4inch.

The North Eastern Tile Company, likewise generously provided the map at cost price.

 

This is the story, from being hand made at a UNESCO world heritage site, during the COVID-19 pandemic, to being installed at Hunmanby Railway Station. Friends of Hunmanby Railway Station are grateful to the North Eastern Tile Company for the help and advice and the loan of a half-size tile map, so it could be taken into the local community.

 

                                                             

Picture Above:  The full-size North Eastern Railway Tile Map on Scarborough station platform 3. It was put up by the North Eastern Railway company about 120 years ago. 

 

 

further details from the North Eastern Tile Company website

The high cost, reflects the craftsmanship of the product, being hand-made, and the heritage of its production at original works at Jackfield, in Ironbridge. Each tile is hand-made.

Further details from the Craven Dunnill Jackfield website

At least 24 maps were erected, between 1900 and 1910. A century later 11 still exist, 9 of them in their original locations.

 

These being at:

Beverley

Hartlepool

Middlesbrough

Morpeth

Saltburn

Scarborough

Tynemouth

Whitby

York

 

Below the North Eastern Tile Map at York Railway Station

 

 

 

There are just three of these full-size replica maps on public display, these being at:

Beamish Museum

 

Pickering Station on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway 

 

and Barter Books at Alnwick.

 

Work starts in the Winter 2020/21

During the COVID-19 pandemic workers at Craven Dunnill Jackfield produced the hand-made tiles at the original works at Ironbridge.

 

 

Photo above staff at Craven Dunnill Jackfield working on one of tiles, this one for part of the Furness in what is now Cumbria

During the Spring and Summer of 2021, The North Eastern Tile Company kindly arranged the loan to Hunmanby village of a half-size mounted North Eastern Railway Tile Map. This had previously been on display in the Railway Inn, Whitby. This kind gesture enabled a North Eastern railway tile map to be taken into the village community and put on display during the COVID-19 pandemic as restrictions eased. It was a greatly appreciated, seeing a first hand the beauty of the hand made tiles. 

 

 

Photo above: the half-size North Eastern railway Tile Map when in situ at the Railway Inn, Whitby

 

 

Photo above: The half-size tile map on show at Hunmanby Pop In Club, August 2021

 

The project would be the first time a full-size North Eastern Railway Tile Map had been put up at a railway station on the national network in over 111 years. Following a late Spring, and damp weather, work started preparing the 1840's Hunmanby brick wall in July 2021. The work was carried out over 2 weeks through B Edmond & Son, by John & Chris Edmond. They are both Hunmanby born and bred, who relished the challenge of the conservation work, the heritage, working with hand made tiles and attaching to a hand made brick wall from the 1840's. 

 

John Edmond explains the process:

'There was a bit involved in the tiled plaque which was as follows:

- wall framed using timber bearers to the exact size of the finished plaque, this was one to support the weight of the rendering and tiles until it had set and to make sure the plaque ended up square.

 

- all the brick mortar joints behind the plaque were removed to a depth of 20mm to act as a key for the render.

 

- wall was rendered to get a flat surface ready for tiling.

 

- the render was left to dry then given a coat of render grit primer, this seals the render and reduces suction and gives the wall a rough finish, so the tile adhesive gets a better key.

 

- before tiling commenced, all the tiles were laid out and numbered on the backs starting with the bottom row and working from left to right, this is the way we would start tiling each row, the tiles were then put back in the boxes so that the top tile in each box is the first one we needed.

 

- the first row of tiles complete with large boarder and mosaic boarder were laid out on a piece of timber complete with all the tile spacers ( we used a 1.5 mm spacer as we thought a small grout joint would not distract your eye away from the finished picture), then measured the complete width of the laid out row and fixed a second pair of vertical timbers to the existing ones, these were set plumb so that the finished tiled plaque would sit within these and they would stop the boarder tiles pushing out side ways until the adhesive set.

 

- when we started to tile, the bottom large boarder row as well as the mosaic row and 2 rows of picture tiles were laid, these were left overnight to set because of the additional weight of the remaining tiles which were to be laid.

 

- on the second day of tiling we completed the picture then finished off with the border tiles up both side and finally across the top. (There was a total of 302 tiles in the plaque)

 

- the following day all the supporting timbers were removed, the plaque was grouted, washed down and polished up.

 

- work completed.

 

On a different note, regarding the fitting bill, I will NOT be charging you anything for the work done, our family has run a business from Hunmanby since 1967 and are gratefully for all the support we have received over many years from the community, myself and my brother Chris both used the railway to get to school in Scarborough every week day during the 1980's, so have a lot of fond memories.

 

Best regards John Edmond'

 

 

 

 

 

Photo above: John working on the render to get a flat surface, late July 2021. Photo thanks to Roger.

 

 

Photo above: The first indication of the size of the tile map, photo thanks to Paul, early August 2021

 

 

Photo above: 5th August 2021 of John Edmond and John Bridge. Before tiling commenced, all the tiles were laid out and numbered on the backs starting with the bottom row and working from left to right, this is the way they would start tiling each row. The tiles were then put back in the boxes so that the top tile in each box is the first one needed

 

 

Photo above: August 9th 2021. The render has been left to dry and then given a coat of render grit primer, this seals the render and reduces suction and gives the wall a rough finish, so the tile adhesive gets a better key.

 

 

 

Photo above: early morning on 10th August 2021, John laying out the first row of tiles, photo thanks to David.

 

 

 

Photo above 10th August 2021, and the first few tiles are installed by Chris and John. Photo thanks to David

 

 

 Photo above: Chris & John on 11th August 2021, the North Eastern Tile Map takes shape. Photo thanks to Paul

 

 

Photo above by late morning on 11th August 2021, John & Chris have just a few tiles to finish adding to the tile map. 

 

 

Photo above, John & Monica from the station house, all the tiles have been installed, it is covered and drying.

 

 

Photo above 12th August 2021, the tile map is dry and awaits grouting

 

 

Photo above, August 14th 2021, the North Eastern Railway tile map is grouted and the job is completed. Photo thanks to Paul.

 

 

Photo above, August 14th 2021, taken from the down platform, the modern waiting shelter, North Eastern Railway Tile Map, and 1840's hand-made brick station house wall blend in well together. Photo thanks to Paul. 

 

 

At Hunmanby, on the afternoon of Wednesday 18th August at 1pm, the ribbon was cut on the first 6 foot x 6 foot 4, North Eastern Railway Tile Map in over 100 years to be installed at a station on the national rail network. Edna Bates, a Hunmanby resident, who was born in 1920, when the North Eastern Railway still operated trains, cut the ribbon in a simple low key event with tea, cake and biscuits, with neighbours and her friends from Hunmanby Methodist Church and St Catherine's Hospice Shop, where Edna was still volunteering in her 100th year. In attendance also were John and Chris Edmonds who installed the tile map, and John and Monica Bridge who own the old station wall that faces the station platform.

 

 

 

The work was completed in time for National Heritage Day on Saturday 11th September, Hunmanby Railway Station was one of the attractions in the village that day, with the North Eastern Tile Map, a display of photographs 'then and now' and a harvest giveaway as the theme for 2021 for Heritage Day is 'edible produce'. Hunmanby railway station is a great community station and a 'gateway to the village' winning a first prize in the National Community Rail Awards in December 2020.

 

 

 

The North Eastern Railway Tile Map, was made at the original Victorian Works of Craven Dunnill Jackfield, part of the Ironbridge UNESCO world heritage site. The hand made tiles, were paid for by a kind person who wishes to remain anonymous. B Edmond and Son made no charge for their work or materials.

 

 

 

Said John Edmond, 'Our family has run a business from Hunmanby since 1967 and are gratefully for all the support we have received over many years from the community, myself and my brother Chris both used the railway to get to school in Scarborough every week day during the 1980's, so has a lot of fond memories.'

 

 

 

Said Kevin Hollinrake Member of Parliament for Thirsk & Malton “It has always been a pleasure to work with the Friends of Hunmanby Railway Station who do such wonderful work campaigning for improved services and keeping the station looking in such first-class condition. I offer my warm congratulations on yet another successful project and will continue to support their efforts wherever I can. I would love to attend Hunmanby Heritage Day'

 

 

 

Said Councillor Roberta Swiers Elected Representative for Hertford & Cayton Division, North Yorkshire County Council

 

'I would just like to say on behalf of the County Council how proud Hunmanby should be to have the status of being one of the most attractive small stations in the county. The community have built on this asset in so many ways, it must be a pleasure for rail users to look at the whole station and be very envious of its whole appearance . A massive thanks to all volunteers who have made this possible. I will see you on Heritage Day.'

 

 

 

Said Councillor Michelle Donohue-Moncrieff Elected Representative for Hunmanby Ward, Scarborough Borough Council

 

“The new tile map is a great addition to a much loved station and will add to the wonderful welcome for users of Hunmanby Railway Station.”

 

 

 

Said Councillor Paul Riley Elected Representative for Hunmanby ward, Scarborough Borough Council

 

'I congratulate Friends of Hunmanby Railway Station on securing us this fantastic work of art - a tile map celebrating over a century and a half of railway heritage. Whilst it will be sad to look at the map and remember lines lost and stations closed, we can be sure that the Hull - Scarborough line and our own village station have a secure future with better services introduced in response to increasing passenger numbers. Our railways will play an important part in providing environmentally sustainable transport options as the country responds to the challenge of climate change.'

 

 

Said Eden Blythe from the North Eastern Tile Company,

 

'North Eastern Railway tiled map production restarted in 2008 after the North Eastern Tile Company redrew the long - lost designs for the maps, using three original maps for reference. Craven Dunnill of Jackfield Tile Works then agreed to restart handmade production of them in both original and smaller scale sizes. The first new map was tiled to the wall of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway's Pickering station that year, but we are delighted to see this new map displayed at Hunmanby station because it is the first to reappear on the National Rail network. It is a superb achievement for all involved and a very generous gesture indeed by the donors.'

 

 

 

 Photo above: The ribbon cutting at Hunmanby Railway Station, by Edna Bates aged 100 a Hunmanby Resident

Spring Cafe, a community Cafe in Hunmanby kindly provided the cakes for the event (no charge)

 

Heritage Open Day Saturday September 11th 2021

Hunmanby Railway Station was one of several heritage attractions when Hunmanby village took part in National Heritage week. Full details from the National Heritage Week listing for Hunmanby 

This is a report from Heritage Day in Hunmanby on Saturday 11th September 2021

 and this article in the Scarborough Evening News

Updated 5th June 2022