Passengers arriving at Grantham Railway Station are now welcomed by a striking new feature on Platform One: a planter shaped like an LNER Azuma train. The eye-catching installation was crafted by station customer service assistants Phil Armstrong and Jez McLeish, who built the structure almost entirely from recycled materials. The planter sits in the space where ticket barriers once stood, transforming the entrance with a bright splash of colour and creativity.

The pair fashioned the shell and base from upcycled pallets and leftover timber reclaimed from station renovation work. To complete the look, they spray-painted the distinctive Azuma yellow front and red side stripes, giving the planter an unmistakable miniature-train appearance. Despite its size and detail, the project cost just £150, with only paint and finishing touches needing to be bought—or kindly donated.

While most of the build came from salvaged wood, the finishing touch was the specially produced Azuma mini-livery. Stewart Signs, the company behind LNER’s full-size train wraps, offered the custom graphics free of charge. Their contribution helped the planter resemble the real thing far more closely than the team initially imagined.

Reflecting on the project, 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 drew on his hobby of designing model aeroplanes. 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.”

Abbie-Jade Howarth, Project Manager at Stewart Signs, added:

“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!”

Image: LNER