January 2024: a new range of GWR Railcar prints

About us

 

The creator of Wings Wheels and Rail Gallery is graphic artist Simon Glancey. Both the commercial idea for the website and the illustrations themselves are his and come from a long held passion for all things noisy and fast.

The portfolio originated with airbrushed profiles of motorbikes which he researched and produced during his 15 years in central London working in creative agencies. As a designer Simon was anxious that his illustrations should be about the machines and that the viewer’s eye should be caught by nothing other than the sheer intricacy of the engineering excellence and styling. That set the principle for the current collection.

A graduate of Sunderland University, Simon was keen to return to the North East and took the opportunity to move to rural Northumberland when it arose. From there he has been able to indulge an enthusiasm for football and aviation. He is the developer of neaa.co.uk, a site which illustrates some of the very many planes from WW1 onwards either operational from the North East of England or ending their days there.

With the kernel of a collection established, Simon spent two years building a range of profiles of trains, bikes and planes to make up the original Wings Wheels and Rail Gallery collection which was launched in December 2004.

Since then Simon has added steam trains alongside the diesel locomotives, he has created tens of additional military and civil planes and added the beginnings of a portfolio of cars and buses, all in the clean style of Wings Wheels and Rail Gallery. He has completed a number of commissions from manufacturers, museums and societies as well as owners.

Simon’s work is regularly published in trade journals, magazines and books.