Artist gives green light for iconic Doncaster loco painting to be displayed in new museum

Rail enthusiast Barry Lifsey has been campaigning for a painting entitled Pride Of The Plant to go on show inside the newly opened Danum Gallery, Library and Museum.

And the painting’s artist Eric Bottomley has now given the green light to Mr Lifsey’s push to get the picture on display.

Said Mr Lifsey: “I am delighted to say that l have been successful in obtaining copyright permission from Eric Bottomley and also support from The Gresley Society.”

Chris Nettleton of the Gresley Society said: “I consider it a priority that Eric Bottomley’s ‘Pride of the Plant’ should be displayed at Doncaster’s new Library, Art Gallery and Museum.

"After all, ‘The Plant’ was at the heart of the town for over 150 years and the picture will be an ideal companion to Terence Cuneo’s ‘Giants Refreshed’, already in the possession of the Museum.”

The new library features locomotive Green Arrow as well as dozens of other exhibits from Doncaster’s railway heritage and history.

The painting shows a Class A3 Pacific loco outside the New Erecting Shop, part of the huge Plant Works site at Hexthorpe where both the Mallard and Flying Scotsman came to fruition.

Mr Lifsey, who spent nearly three decades repairing and working on dozens of trains at the sprawling industrial site, spearheaded the drive to get the New Erecting Shop its Grade II status several years ago. The building will be 130 years old this year.

He said: “My suggestion is that permission be obtained from the copyright owner to request that the print be enlarged to be fit for purpose to take centre stage with the locomotives to publicise this wonderful building that manufactured railway locomotives for Doncaster's heritage.”

A copy of the painting hangs on the wall at his Finningley home.

He added: “The New Erecting Shop is 130 years old in 2021 and visitors to the museum should be given the opportunity to see an enlargement of the print where Mallard, Flying Scotsman,Green Arrow and many many more steam locomotives were built.”