Upholstery at the IWSR

Student Introduction

KS5 Textile Design Upholstery & Design
101211
Interior view of a vintage third-class railway carriage showing patterned red upholstery and wooden panelling

Upholstery - style, genre and traditions

Close-up of vintage carriage upholstery featuring dark floral fabric and white lace antimacassars

What can you discover at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway?

By prior arrangement, you can visit the Isle of Wight Steam Railway and look at the design of the fabrics and of the carriages themselves, to discover the period features relating to the genre and tradition of fabrics and design.

You can also experience the upholstery workshop and discover how the different fabrics are utilised in the different carriages on different trains, including the differences between First Class, Third Class and various periods of carriage design.

Other features of design are of possible interest, including form and function design aspects, and complementary design features such as the crafting of the doors, the woodworking skills, and use of fixings to add design features.