A Northern conductor who once painted for the King has opened an art gallery at Knaresborough station.
Paul Mirfin set up his gallery at the Grade II listed Knaresborough station earlier this year. He also has a studio, where he paints and teaches art classes.
The impressionist oil painter, who lives in Knaresborough and has worked for Northern for 23 years, is known for producing striking paintings of landscapes, skies and the railway.
In 2023, Paul was commissioned to produce artwork for King Charles, as a present for his 75th birthday.
The painting, of a tree the monarch planted outside Bettys Cafe Tea Rooms in Harrogate in 2005, is now kept at his Clarence House residence in London.
Paul said:
“I'm really enjoying having my own space to paint and sell my work. I love it here.
"It’s a such beautiful station and I have worked on the line that runs through here for a long time, so I’ve gotten to know a lot of the passengers. They have been really supportive.
“It’s going well so far and I’m looking forward to the summer, as the stations gets really busy with all the tourists coming to see Knaresborough.”
Paul began painting six years ago, when the Covid 19 pandemic prevented him from playing gigs with a folk-rock group called The Paul Mirfin Band.
He said:
“When I couldn’t gig, I became a bit frustrated so decided to start painting.
“I posted a photograph of one of my paintings on Facebook and I was a bit surprised when someone replied asking ‘how much?’. It just grew from there. I never planned any of this.
“I started out painting a lot of railway infrastructure, like viaducts, stations and signal boxes, and they were really popular. I love travelling around to different places on the railway to find inspiration for my work.”
Local businesses have sent up shop in dozens of railway stations managed by Northern, running everything from cafes and bars to art galleries and antique shops.
A number of stations, including Hebden Bridge and Bradford Interchange, currently have retail space which is available to rent.
Alex Hornby, Northern’s customer and commercial director, said:
“We’re really proud of Paul and his incredible talents, and equally delighted that he’s decided to open his gallery at Knaresborough station.
“It’s a fantastic addition to the station as customers can now enjoy some of the impressive artwork on display.
“We are really keen to establish stations as true community assets and destinations in their own right. We have a range of units available to local businesses looking to set up shop in prime locations with high footfall.”
The full list of available units at Northern stations can be found here.
Harrogate woman's stroke at 37 inspires fundraising drive for vital charity
Harrogate MP calls for bus and rail fares to be slashed
Kittens with rare condition 'thriving' after community donates £1,000
Weather warning for strong winds issued ahead of Easter weekend
North Yorkshire Police to roll out facial recognition technology
UK's largest tractor festival revs up for 20th show at Newby Hall
Finalists revealed for Your Harrogate Local Hero Awards 2026
Popular Knaresborough salon celebrates first anniversary
Northern trains expected to 'run normally' this Easter, passengers told
Easter artisan markets to be held in Harrogate and Knaresborough
Knaresborough man receives award for 'outstanding commitment' to community
Harrogate charity reaches £30,000 milestone for families in need
Harrogate MP pushes for revival of £150 million railway upgrade
Rudy's pizza restaurant to open in Harrogate next weekend
Popular toys and gaming festival to return this weekend
Harrogate padel event raises £1,700 for two local charities
Harrogate endometriosis event raises £11,000 for charity
Harrogate MP says tourism levy must be 'spent and seen locally'
The Harrogate Club celebrates 140th anniversary
New bakery and café set to open in Harrogate
