Blooming Marvellous: An Azuma Train With A Difference Takes Root At Grantham Station

Made almost entirely out of recycled materials, station customer service assistants Phil Armstrong and Jez McLeish built the one-of-a-kind decorative container. It takes pride of place on Platform One, in the space where ticket barriers once stood.  

The pair used upcycled pallets, taken from deliveries to the station, as well as leftover wood from renovation work to make both the shell of the planter and the base of the structure.  

The distinctive Azuma yellow nose and red stripes running along the train were then spray painted on, to bring the planter to life.  

Thanks to the duo’s focus on recycling, the creative project cost only £150, with only paint and other finishing materials being purchased or generously donated. 

Reflecting on the process, Jez McLeish said: “I had the idea for the planter, and Phil just ran with it! Outside of LNER, I’m a tattoo artist and I do a lot of sculpting as well, so I’m always making stuff. We wanted to make something that stands out and goes the extra mile.” 

Phil Armstrong called on his experience designing model aeroplanes outside of work. He said: “The planter is the first thing you see when walk into the station, so I think it’s really enhanced that entrance for customers. 

“When we had built out most of it, we got in touch with specialists who really helped us out with the graphics.”  

While the bulk of the planter is made up of salvaged wood from around the station, the specific Azuma mini-livery was specially-produced free of charge by Stewart Signs, the company who have worked with LNER on the full-size train wraps. 

Abbie-Jade Howarth, Project Manager at Stewart Signs said: “We were delighted to support the team at Grantham by producing the scaled-down livery for the planter. It is fantastic to see how this creative idea brings colour and personality to the station, and I am very proud to have played a part in making the magic happen!”