Train guard opens art gallery and studio at Knaresborough Station

Originally from Sheffield, Paul met his wife when she was a passenger on the route he worked on.

The son of two artists himself, Paul and his family now live in Knaresborough.

He said taking up painting during Covid helped him with the anxiety he was experiencing.

“I picked up a brush and I realised that hours had gone by without thinking of anything because I was just painting.

“I put it on Facebook as ‘this is my project’ and somebody said ‘how much?'”

Paul’s new career also saw him commissioned to paint a work for the King in 2023.

“A gentleman asked to meet me in Harrogate and he said ‘I want to commission you to paint a picture for my friend whose 75th birthday is coming up’.”

Paul said the man had attended school with the then Prince Charles and had requested an image of a tree planted by him in Harrogate, which was now in full bloom.

He said the picture was duly “sent down to Clarence House” and he received a letter confirming its arrival and that he would receive another letter later.

“So maybe I’ll be going down there.”