Look Draw Build@Reading Station is a project which engages some 450 children, mainly in Year 5, in 15-18 classes each year practically in Engineering, Architecture and the history and future of the Railways. It started in 2022 as project by Archi-Adventure of Barcelona and Reading Civic Society.
It is funded this year by the Royal Academy of Engineering, Network Rail, The Earley Charity and The Rotary Club of Reading
The project enables the children to be taken around Reading station by GWR Senior Accessibility Mentor.
In March we delivered model railway station building workshops in 17 classes. This was aided by STEM Ambassadors in STANTEC, Mott Macdonald, Ridge & Partners and Weston & Co Architects. After the workshops the class is asked to choose a model to represent it in an Inter School competition . The teacher has to summarise the reasons for the choice and submit a document for a panel of 5 professionals from our supporting companies.
On the afternoon of 27 March a panel of professional engineers from STANTEC, Ridge & Partners, Mott Macdonald and GWR assessed the 17 models which were submitted by the classes to take part in the competition. All were assessed using tight criteria. The top 3 models were selected.
This morning (Friday) we visited the winning classes to surprise them and present the Gold, Silver and Bronze plaques. We also presented books on engineering and architecture, on on the Stockton and Darlington Line follows. The gold medal winning class gets a funded visit to the Didcot Railway Heritage Centre. This fits so well with the Curriculum
The winning models will be on display in the Oracle Shopping centre Saturday 29 March from 9:30am to 4:30pm.
There will be an exhibition about the project. Perhaps some visiting children can help our volunteers will have a go at building their model stations.
So come along to see us. In the Oracle. Gun Street / Minster St entrance.