The Timeless Tracks Project is a collaboration with the 3 Counties Connected Community Rail Partnership and Minera Community Agent and Minera to engage the local Coffee Companions Group of Minera, capturing their personal memories of the mineral railways that once crossed their area. This project has been kindly funded by Transport for Wales.
Project Brief
The Partnership will facilitate a series of sessions to be held at Minera Lead Mines to bring together members of the Coffee Companions Group.
External artists, writers, historians and poets will be invited to attend the sessions to work creatively with the 20+ members of the groups to capture and express their stories and memories through various forms of media, including art, poetry and oral storytelling.
The goal will then be to gather these various forms of media to produce a booklet, a lasting legacy which will preserve memories that will soon be lost to time.
This project is even more significant as it commemorates Railway 200, a nationwide celebration marking 200 years of the modern railway. Railway 200 is a year-long, partnership-led campaign aimed at celebrating the history of railways while inspiring a new generation to consider careers in the rail industry. The campaign encourages communities, rail networks, and other groups to take part in the festivities and recognise the transformative power of rail travel over the past two centuriesGroup
Aims and Objectives
1. To preserve local heritage by documenting and celebrating Minera’s railway history through oral histories, poetry, and art.
Record oral histories to capture personal memories of Minera’s railway as told by the community.
Publish and distribute a small book of poems and written stories.
2. To engage the over 50s community by providing opportunities for social interaction, creativity, and storytelling.
Facilitate creative poetry and art sessions to help participants express their stories.
Work with local artists, poets, writers and historians to help creatively document the stories.
3. To strengthen community bonds by fostering connections between participants and the wider community.
Strengthen relationships and a shared sense of identity through storytelling aided by members of the community who facilitate the sessions.
4. To support cultural and artistic expression by collaborating with local artists, poets, writers and historians.
Facilitate creative workshops and encourage participants to engage in creative activities such as poetry and visual art.
Ensure professional guidance in transforming stories into creative works by collaborating with local artists.
5. To ensure the sustainability of the Coffee Companions group by raising funds through the sale of a published book.
Publish and distribute a book that captures the memories, stories and poems written by the group to generate funds to support the group’s ongoing activities and long-term sustainability.
6. To promote wellbeing and inclusion by encouraging social participation, creative engagement, and outdoor activities.
Encourage social participation, creative engagement and connection through shared memories.
7. To increase awareness of local railway heritage and its impact on the community.
Publish and distribute the book to increase knowledge of Minera’s railway history and heritage within the wider community.
Hold an interactive public launch event and invite the wider community to attend inspiring future generations to appreciate and preserve their local history.
Partners
Transport for Wales as funders of the project
Minera Community Agent working alongside 3 Counties Connected Community Rail Partnership
Minera Lead Mines where sessions were held
Local artists, poets and historians who facilitated sessions
Alex Tedford of Broc Creative as designer of the map and book
Project Delivery
Over the course of several months, 10 sessions were held with the groups. Sessions were facilitated by members of the community who had specialities in history, art, poetry writing and more. These included:
Peter Appleton from the Minera Quarry Trust who kindly attended one of the sessions to give an overview of the history, geology, flora & fauna of the Minera limestone quarry.
Local speed cartoonist, Debbie Ryan-Franklyn, worked with the group to bring oral stories to life through the medium of cartoon to create a children’s take-home quiz booklet.
Fiona Sammut who is the Centre Manager for Brymbo Enterprise Centre gave a tour of the centre where the group were given the chance to see the 3 Counties Connected Community Rail Partnership’s ‘Stitching History’ project which was delivered in the previous year.
Josie Rayworth, Community Rail Officer for 3 Counties Connected Community Rail Partnership, delivered a ‘Capturing Memory in Collage’ workshop exploring ways of merging memories, such as photos and articles, to produce a creative storytelling collage.
After 10 sessions working with the groups and members of the community who facilitated the sessions, extraordinary personal stories have been uncovered which have been memorialised into a beautiful ‘Timeless Tracks’ booklet. Photographs, artwork, poems and memories are all reflected in the booklet capturing the bygone times of a railway that ran through the heart of Minera.
Unexpected Outcomes
Intergenerational Launch
The groups shared a wealth of information and insights into the history of Minera and there was a strong desire to make the open exhibition and launch an inclusive, intergenerational experience. As a result, a Children’s Quiz was developed to compliment the exhibition and launch, appealing to younger generations, preserving and passing down the memories and stories captured, ensuring they continue to live on for years to come.
Textile Skills – Costume Making
For the launch event, the group wanted to create an immersive experience for the children by allowing them to dress up in period costumes. One member took on the sewing, while others contributed materials and props such as flat caps and bowler hats, bringing history to life in a hands-on and engaging way.
Knowledge and Talent
One of the most rewarding outcomes of the project was the incredible depth of engagement and enthusiasm from the group. Each week, members brought in a wealth of precious items and photographs, enriching the experience with personal stories and historical insights. The project also uncovered a remarkable pool of talent within the group, including a poet, historian, florist, an actress, and an artist who has exhibited for the RHS. Their diverse skills and contributions added depth and creativity, making the project even more meaningful and dynamic.
Launch
The launch of this remarkable project will take place on 29 March at Plas Pentwyn, Wrexham and will be a vibrant celebration of local heritage and the significance of the railway and will feature:
Displays of artwork and stories from participants
An opportunity to meet and greet with contributors, sharing their experiences first-hand
A children’s heritage hunt, discovering fun facts and stories.
A Victorian-themed photo booth, where families can dress up and step back in time
A showcase of treasured artefacts, each with a unique and fascinating history
Local group stands, offering insights into the area’s rich industrial past
