The life size statue shows George Stephenson wearing a frock coat, standing on a very small plinth with a train wheel below him. He is holding a giant pair of dividers resting on the train wheel in his right hand and in his left hand he is holding high in the air a model of one of his early locomotives.
An inscription on the circu,ference of the train wheel reads "George Stephenson 1781 - 1848 Locomotion, the conquest over space and time." At the centre of the wheel an inscription reads "Vision & Invention & Discovery"
The unveiling of the stature was reported by the 24Housing magazine as follows...
"A bronze statue of the great railway pioneer has been unveiled at Chesterfield Railway Station.
George, who worked with his son Robert to develop the revolutionary locomotive “Rocket”, spent the last ten years of his life at Tapton House, which overlooks the station, and is buried inside Holy Trinity Church in Chesterfield.
A full size working replica of Rocket was on show at the event, prior to spending two days on display as part of the second Chesterfield Market Festival.
The replica, on loan from the National Railway Museum in York, will also spend a day working at nearby Barrow Hill Roundhouse engine shed in Chesterfield, giving rides to visitors (on November 5, “Ride a Rocket” Day).
The sculpture, by Stephen Hicklin, an artist of national repute, was provided as part of Chesterfield Borough Council’s Percent for Art Policy, under which developers of schemes costing more than £1m provide one per cent of the cost for a piece of art.
The town has over 50 such works, ranging from sculptures to paintings, wood carvings, stained glass and decorative fencing.
The statue of George Stephenson, shown holding a model of Locomotion – a steam engine he built some years before Rocket – was funded through a partnership involving Chesterfield Borough Council, Chesterfield Civic Society, Derbyshire County Council, Midland Mainline, Network Rail and Taylor Woodrow.
The unveiling ceremony was performed by the Mayor of Chesterfield, Cllr Keith Falconer, Chesterfield MP Paul Holmes and Cllr Walter Burrows, Chair of Derbyshire County Council.
Cllr Stuart Bray, Chesterfield Borough Council’s Cabinet member for Planning and Asset Management, said: “I am delighted that the Borough has been able to top off the excellent refurbishment of the station with this magnificent sculpture through its award winning percent for art programme in partnership with the county, private and voluntary sectors.”
The statue’s unveiling marked the completion of improvements to Chesterfield station, which has been transformed in recent years with refurbished waiting facilities, new lifts, improved concourse and station forecourt and new ticket office.
Dyan Crowther, Route Director, Network Rail, said: “The statue will be a fitting tribute to the life and work of George Stephenson. As the nation’s foremost railway engineer he was renowned for his enthusiasm and pride in his achievements.”
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