‘Tunnicliffe-inspired’ mural for Macclesfield railway station

A ‘Tunnicliffe-inspired’ mural will be installed at Macclesfield railway station over the Bank Holiday weekend as part of plans for a larger town centre art trail. 

The Macclesfield Treacle Town Art Trail will incorporate existing art installations in the town centre, along with three new projects planned for key routes around the railway station, which are being funded by Avanti West Coast’s Customer and Communities Investment Scheme.

The first of these new projects is being installed this weekend (27-29 August) and will see artist Megan Russell creating a large mural on one of the railway station’s lift towers, to be seen prominently from the Silk Road and by rail passengers.

The mural will be inspired by Macclesfield artist Charles Tunnicliffe, who remains one of Britain’s most popular artists of the natural world. 

Born in 1901, much of Tunnicliffe’s work depicted birds in their natural settings and other naturalistic scenes, and he illustrated a number of Ladybird books.

His work was also used to illustrate Brooke Bond tea cards which were collected by many during the 1950s and 1960s. 

Tunnicliffe’s work is characterised by its precision and accuracy, and the way he portrayed birds as they were seen in their natural environment.

Councillor Nick Mannion, chair of Cheshire East Council’s economy and growth committee, said: “The Treacle Town Art Trail will further raise Macclesfield’s profile as a creative destination and these three new projects are a brilliant way to inject vibrancy into areas of the town centre that are currently a blank canvas. 

“Charles Tunnicliffe’s works are internationally-renowned and it’s a great source of pride for the town. It seems fitting that the first of these new projects is inspired by his work, bringing it to life for future generations.”

Laura Harper, Avanti West Coast station manager at Macclesfield, said: “We’re excited Macclesfield station will soon become a point of interest for the Treacle Town Art Trail with the installation of a large-scale mural, as we want to champion the people, places, and communities we serve. 

“Macclesfield station is an important gateway to the town, and with the artwork inspired by a local artist, we hope it will provide a warm welcome to those travelling to or from the area by train.”

The mural’s installation will take place at the same time as Macclesfield station is fully closed for major upgrade works, which are being undertaken by Network Rail.Station car parks will also be closed.

While it is not possible to view the artwork being installed live at the station, filming will be taking place so that the process can be captured and shared.

In addition to the mural, Avanti West Coast is also funding plans for a piece of artwork along the station footbridge, as well as proposals for nearby Sunderland Street, where it is hoped that shop shutters will be used as the canvas for multiple pieces of artwork, increasing the area’s appeal to new business and residential investors.

The projects will be a significant contributor in delivering the objectives of the council’s Macclesfield Town Centre Strategic Regeneration Framework, which sets out the need for improvements around the station area, and the importance of this to local people.

All three are expected to be completed by spring next year and further details will be announced over the coming months.

The full art trail will also include the recently completed mural of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis, in Mill Street and bespoke kerbstones along the revamped Castle Street, which incorporate extracts from ‘A Love Letter To Macc’, a poem compiled from words written by Macclesfield residents to celebrate everything they love about the town.

• For those wanting to learn more about Tunnicliffe’s work, a collection of his published illustrations and books can be found at Macclesfield Library.