Sunday, 4 October 2026

Public Artwork

 

I recently read an article about the UK's most disliked public statues and monuments.

Some were predictable, such as the comical black lady on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, others were more surprising. Many of the amateur incongruous-looking 'modern' sculptures were rightly given the thumbs down. But others were more puzzling.


Amongst the most disliked was Darlington's giant 'Brick Train' by Scottish Artist David Mach. 

Personally I like it. It represents a Mallard class locomotive with smoke billowing from its chimney. Built entirely of bricks, it is an imposing structure.

Why would anyone not like it, what's not to like?


16 comments:

  1. I think that the train of bricks is superb!

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  2. I wonder what it was about it that people didn't like?
    I like it and think it's a very clever idea

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  3. It's nice to me too. It's surprising to encounter something like this in a green field.

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    1. It's not really in a field it's next to a busy A road on one side and a supermarket on the other. Darlington was one of the pioneering centers of the early railways in the UK

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    2. It's a pity they don't show the wider location.

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  4. This what one Trip Advisor reviewer said:-
    Darlington's shame. What a waste of time. This dump is literally dumped in the corner of an industrial business park with directions to turn right, but it's a dead end!! There are no signs whatsoever once you're here. We just stumbled on it by chance and we're hugely disappointed. Don't bother!
    P.S. Why couldn't we comment on yesterday's post? The blockage enraged me!

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    1. I couldn't understand it myself. I was probably more enraged than you!

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  5. Did yesterday's blockage have something to do with those annoying Anons and attempting to block them out?

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  6. Sometimes I suspect "they who say" are simply only "they" who say. Chico Marx in the 1933 movie Duck Soup "Who you gonna believe? Me or your own eyes?"

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    1. The Marx Bros were very wise. I often quote them myself.

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  7. It is great. I was working down the road from it a few years ago and after shopping at Morrisons often had a wander round to admire it. Someone mentioned that it has lots of bat nesting holes in it, I could see the nest holes but never saw any bats

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