Ramsgate Fantasy Transport Network is a project by Transit Collective designed to inspire creativity, playfulness and curiosity around Ramsgate. It aims to encourage participants to explore the town and to generate imaginative solutions for our transport infrastructure. The ideas, if realised, would surely put Ramsgate on the map!

Relocated from the seafront to the outskirts of the town in 1926, Ramsgate Station is now in a residential area some distance from the town centre and Royal Harbour. Connections are either by bus or on foot. In 1931 Barcelona opened the Port Vell Aerial Tramway running 1.3km from Montjuic to the old harbour, the same distance as Ramsgate Station is from the Royal Harbour. Could Ramsgate too have an Aerial Tramway? Or perhaps a system of slides making use of Ramsgate’s cliffs?

During a day combining an exploratory walk across the town, experimental mapping and a design workshop, participants from across Thanet modelled a new future for Ramsgate transport. To help generate ideas, Transit Collective created a game to provide a template for the participants to follow by assigning a route, a transport method, and a theme. The game drew from participants’ own experience as well as local history and seaside culture. The workshop was followed by a brief presentation around each idea.

The panels exhibited describe a selection of the fantasy travel plans created
in the workshop. For each idea you can see which game cards the player was dealt, as well as one of the many examples of surprising transport we looked at as examples. These ideas are also shown on the topographical map alongside various landmarks in the town of Ramsgate showing the hills and valley that runs down to the harbour.

Follow the link below to see the full set of ideas produced at the workshop. The display was previously exhibited in Ramsgate Train Station ticket hall. It is now in place at Ramsgate Library until 14 July 2022.

www.transitmargate.co.uk/ramsgate-fantasy-travel

We’d love to hear what you think of these ideas, perhaps one of them has given you an idea that could change the way we travel in & around Ramsgate?

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About:

Transit Collective

Transit Collective is a multi-disciplinary artists’ collective working to bring creativity to the local environment. We create opportunities for people to explore through a process of walking, workshops and craft.

By working with low tech materials and imagination, Transit Collective work to minimise the environmental footprint of our activities. This display has been made largely from reused and recycled materials.

The Creative Isle Community Rail Partnership

The Creative Isle Community Rail Partnership (CICRP) is a Turner Contemporary project in partnership with Thanet District Council and Southeastern. The project works to devise and commission artworks on and around the rail network in Thanet for and with the community.