Railway Arms public house
The railway engine emerging from the front wall was made by Richard Farrington in 2003, a sculptor originally from London but who now works in Alton. He was fascinated by collecting objects when he was young and this has influenced him in making his larger sculptural objects today. The inspiration for the piece came from a painting called Time Transfixed by Belgian impressionist artist Rene Magritte.
We also see here a small bronze sculpture of two brewers, also by Richard Farrington (2004). It is quite a delicate object but it shows us how a large barrel could be moved. It is based on an eighteenth century woodcut used on a pub sign in Covent Garden. The steps they are climbing refer to the Triple FFF Brewery’s beer named after the 1971 Led Zeppelin song, Stairway to Heaven. The contrast between the subject matter and materials used is quite interesting in these two items.