Rhymes on the Line
The Abbey Line is currently home to a joyful display of poems written by Year Four pupils from Kingsway Junior School in North Watford and Mandeville Primary School in St Albans.
You’ll find their rhymes and haiku brightening the platforms at Watford Junction and St Albans Abbey.
These poems don’t just talk about trains—they explore everything from noisy engines and friendly drivers to rabbits, sandwiches, and the excitement of going somewhere new.
Some are silly, some are sweet, some reflect concerns about travelling by train, and all are full of personality! They reflect the everyday wonder of travel, seen through the eyes of eight- and nine-year-olds.
The project was brought to life by Kate Swindells, Abbey Line Community Rail Partnership Officer, in collaboration with Karene Horner-Hughes, Creative Writer, and Chris Blanch and Grae Wall from the St Albans Arts Team.
To celebrate both ends of the line, poems by Mandeville Primary School are featured at Watford Junction, while Kingsway Junior School’s pieces are showcased at St Albans Abbey.
Why not hop on the train and enjoy the full journey of creativity?
Kingsway Junior School
I lost my train ticket
I lost my ticket
While the train was despatching
Passengers are calm
Bonnie and Leea
When passengers lose their tickets
Where are my tickets?
Where are my tickets?
I don’t know, you tell me
I can see them in your pockets
You should be ashamed of yourself
Rares and Parker
A man got hungry
As the passenger ate food
So he got his own
Franky and Alfie
The train on the other lane
The train was out in the rain
I couldn’t bear the pain
Of it never coming again
Wait! The lane just changed
Afsa and Zoe
Spring at the train station
The crowded station
Was filled with people waiting
For the zooming train
Mariama and Imogen
Train driving waiting
Coffee shops on the station
Passengers rushing
Oliver and Alannah
Drivers rushing around
Drivers were rushing around
While seeing towering buildings
Drivers were driving crazy
While green lush leaves were falling
Maisie and Sagith
The passengers went mad
Trains coming in and out of stations
Noisy people exchanging spaces
Mothers and fathers calling to locate lost daughters
People in mazes
Toby and Katie
BIG TO small
The train on the track
The seat on the train
And the toilet too
The rain in the sky starting to pour
Elva and Rana
Waiting for my train
When is the train coming?
What is taking so long?
I will write a fine!
It is wasting my time
Oscar and Assan
Passengers buying tickets
Trains drive back
We go in the train
We carry our pack
Riley and Noah
Oh I lost my phone
So I looked in the map app
It was in my bag!
Haaris and Arsham
Cute fluffy rabbits
Hopping by the bright windows
While train tickets glow
Sherrie and Kavya
Train Station
I lost my train ticket
Oh no I will miss my train now
It was an important ticket
I would get there, but how?
Katharine and Honey
Birds fly through stations
People start getting tickets
And huge dark tunnels
Skye and Cara
When I went on the train I felt hot
Then I forgot my sunglasses
We went to Spain but it was so hot
Madison and Harrison
Trains travel for days
Passengers are getting mean
They want to get on their way
Everyone’s complaining
Arthur and George
A big train passed me
When I was standing alone
Looking at the sky
Sienna and Hibah
Waiting for my train
My ticket in my hand
An announcement is called
The train is delayed
It is in a different lane
Aadya and Antonia
The train was dripping
Lots of clear rain
Scarlet and Hannah
The abandoned train
Was lost for many years
Some boys were in fear
And looked for evidence
Leah-May and Faye
I lost my best friend
A bird flew around the train
I lost my ticket
Teddy and Elliot
The girl had to ride
The train to get to
Spain, her father said you need to
Come to Spain to learn Spanish
To talk to your grandparents
Emilia and Melek
The bird flew above
The dusty musty old train
The bird saw the train
Jack and Marvin
I’ve lost my contact lenses
I can’t see the time of the train
Is my son on the train that just left?
Oh no he’s just behind me and …
What is he holding?
Here I go again!
Finley
Ow no! My luggage!
It’s lost, what should I do now?
I see it, it’s just there
Janae and Ansh
The colourful train
Shiny green grass on the ground
The yellow hot sun
Emily and Charlotte
I lost my blue bag
I lost my bag on the train
But I got it back
Freddie and Toryn
Mandeville Primary School
The train driver came
She checked the tickets and she left
Lucky I have paid
Ryan, Sophie and Inayah
The train is loud, rumbling in
The doors open as the crowd rushes
They shove as I see doves
Flying with a tin, over a bin
Stan and Luca
The train bounced up and down
The passengers turn their smile to a frown
The view was extremely great
But there was so much hate
Khadijah, Zahra and Hanga
I can see the train
It’s about to rain
We have to walk, jog, run
We have to wait for the sun
Joaquin and Joseph
They went on the train
And suddenly had pain
The train got delayed
They left on rollerblades
Marta and Ajwa
Abbey to Watford
The people are unhappy
Only runs each hour
Charlotte and Chiara
Some passengers are sad, some are bad
Some views on the train, can use my smart brain
Some stops are very longgggg
Just like this train song
Dan and Charlie
On the station
They made me change my formation
They made me mad, crazy sad
‘Cause I don’t have a seat pad
Darien and Hamza
From the train window
I can see a baby goat
And sheep grazing on the grass
Look at the field pass
Alan and Bode
Through the glass you see
Through the glass you see, lovely dogs
Lovely trees
On the train you see
Joshua and Chase
Some passengers are mad
‘Cause people have stinky feet
And some are sad
‘Cause they don’t have a seat
Lily and Remy
The trees flew by
Tiny pigeons in the sky
My bestie and I
Can’t wait to try…
Watford Pie!
Maya and Lauren
Where’s the driver?
Where’s the train?
Where are my dogs?!
Ohhh, they’re behind me again!
Kiara and Kira
A train’s thoughts
I’m going flat out and I need to PEE
Hey, you, STOP! Oil’s leaking out of me!
I’m going to crash, people’s lives are at stake
Oh! I forgot I already have brakes
Emma and Sido
Seats and Patterns
The patterns on the seats
Were pink and they make you blink
If you stop to think
You would reach your train Leah
Sophia and Amelia
A train’s life
I am dirty and fast
I have been here since the past
I have a smart brain
So people call me a train
Bethan and Olivia
BAD LUCK
The staff can’t open the door
It was stuck to the floor
A small toy was stuck
SADLY it was bad luck
Aalya and Thaddeus
The passenger gazes out
The plants start to sprout
The train slows down on the track
It’s suddenly dark and black
Lexi and Ariana
The passengers were angry
The train was going slow
The train went through a tunnel
The lights were low
Christopher and Shay
The trains are runny
And the passengers were funny
They have different nations
And are in different stations
But sadly it might rain
Luckily you could put it in a picture frame
Children have fun
But they don’t run
Sumaiyah and Yarden
Life next to the train
Calling here can be a pain
Life can be annoying here
And no more creatures like deer
Oliver
The Train Poem!
The huge train rumbled
The big rocks tumbled
But the view is stunning
And still the bees are buzzing
Zehra and Safwan
I lost my train ticket
Where is my train ticket?
Is it among the people?
Maybe on the tea table?
Or is it on my work labels?
Stacey-Leigh and Nijat
Night-time Train
During night-time, they never do a mime
But when they do a rhyme
They run out of time
And they have to form a line
Marley, Yakubu and Akram
At the train station
We looked out of the window
Then we saw flowers
Lilia and Dolly
The passengers were seeing match makers
And the match makers were seeing the passengers
Eating marshmallows
Meera and Ada
The passengers looked shy but
They were giving lots of lies
The passengers looked ill, but
But then they passed the hill
Lacie and Ibraheem
