Display introduces rail commuters to the faces of Banbury
17/02/2025
QR codes give access to the back story of the people featured
A new display featuring some of the people who’ve made a difference in Banbury has been unveiled at Banbury Train Station.
Members of the public nominated the individuals who’s pictures are featured in the overbridge walkway at the station.
The project aims to create a visual representation of the people who make Banbury special, whilst celebrating the town’s diversity.
104-year-old Dorcas Tobin is one of the people featured. She was a volunteer at the train station during the war.
Dorcas told us: “The troop trains would come very early, so we would be called up about 4.30am. We lived in East Street and then we’d have to go to the cafe and make sandwiches and get the tea urns and everything up, ready for the troop trains.
“One young man called me over. He said: ‘Can you tell my mum that I’m alright?’ He happened to be living in Middleton Road and so I was able to go and knock her door and say ‘I’ve just seen your son’.”
At the top of each picture a QR code enables people to view a video of the story behind the person featured.
The project is supported and funded by Chiltern Railways Community Fund. Zach Bailey, Chiltern’s Regional Growth Manager, said: “This is one of the projects in our Community Investment Funds – a fund that we give to not-for-profit, charities, or community groups. It’s about bringing and integrating rail with local communities.
“This particular exhibition is around the people of Banbury, bringing those stories of the local community, whether it’s local business owners, local people who represent the town and the people of Banbury.
“Banbury BID wanted to kind of promote the town centre, local businesses and local people.
“There’s a bit of a gap between the town centre and the station so this is about bringing the people and the stories of the town centre and connecting that to the railway network.”
Published: by the Banbury FM News Team
