Jamie Wardley creating sand sculpture at the National Railway Museum (From The Northern Echo)

Jamie Wardley creating sand sculpture at the National Railway Museum

9:27am Friday 30th July 2010 in

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IT’S many miles to the nearest beach – but the delights of a seaside holiday are being recreated at one of the region’s great attractions.

Sculptor Jamie Wardley is hard at work turning 20 tonnes of sand into an artistic evocation of a Thirties getaway at the National Railway Museum, in York.

He is using posters from the past and the huge steam loco City of Truro as the models and inspiration for his three-metre long artwork in the museum’s South Yard.

Now nearing completion, it will remain on show to visitors until September 5.

Mr Wardley has travelled all over the world making sculptures from ice, snow and sand, but said the rail museum project was one of the most exciting yet.

A former environmental scientist, he discovered his talent for sculpture while visiting the Norwegian fjords, when he came across an ice artist at work and tried it himself.

He embarked on a new career and now travels widely to produce his creations.

But the chance to work at the National Railway Museum was an opportunity he could not resist.

“I’m originally from Yorkshire, so coming home to work on a piece at Yorkshire’s number one attraction is really welcome. I get tired of living out of a suitcase,”

he said.