Banbury Station project unveiled celebrating stories from residents of the town
A new project celebrating the rich tapestry of stories from residents was unveiled at Banbury Station today (Monday 17 February).
The project, funded by Chiltern Railways’ Community Investment Fund and initiated by Banbury Business Improvement District (BID), has provided a platform for community members to nominate individuals who embody the spirit of Banbury. The portraits are displayed on the station overbridge giving commuters and leisure travellers a chance to view the remarkable faces of Banbury.
Each portrait has been paired with a QR code that links to a dedicated YouTube video, allowing viewers to hear each participant’s story first-hand. Local photographer Sam Bennett captured these stunning images, while Phil Stanley expertly created the accompanying videos.
The project forms part of a series of improvements at Banbury Station, including a new café, toilets, and painting programme being delivered in 2025.
Zach Bailey, Regional Growth Manager at Chiltern Railways said: “We are delighted to be working with Banbury BID for a second year to promote the unique stories of local people and improve the look and feel of Banbury Station. This is our latest community engagement project at Banbury, building on the active travel and walking map we delivered last year.
“We look forward to these displays complementing improved customer facilities at the station.”
Jasmine Gilhooly, from Banbury BID said: “This has been a project I’ve always wanted to execute. It would be great to expand it further next year, and I’m excited to have seen this come together. The whole BID team has worked hard to make this come to fruition."
Participants who shared their unique stories and had portraits displayed were invited to attend the launch event.
More information on Chiltern’s Community Investment Fund can be viewed here.
Videos of the participants can be viewed here.
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Notes to editors
- Chiltern Railways is part of the Arriva group, one of the leading providers of passenger transport in Europe, employing around 38,000 people and delivering around 1.5 billion passenger journeys across 10 European countries.
- Chiltern operates commuter/regional rail passenger services from its Central London terminus at London Marylebone along the M40 corridor to destinations in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, as well as long-distance services to the West Midlands along two routes. Services on the Chiltern Main Line run from London Marylebone to Birmingham Snow Hill, Stratford-upon-Avon and Oxford, with some peak-hour services to Stourbridge Junction.
- Chiltern also runs trains on the London to Aylesbury Line to Aylesbury (with some trains terminating at Aylesbury Vale Parkway instead), on the Princes Risborough to Aylesbury and Oxford to Bicester branch lines.