Craftsmen at West Country Blacksmiths at Allerford Forge, near Minehead, have completed a project to develop, make and install a brass guard railing for the central lobby of the Wellcome Collection in central London.

The Wellcome Collection is the Wellcome Trust’s free museum and library visited by more than 550,000 people a year displaying a mixture of medical artefacts and original artwork

The project, which took two years from conception to completion, was designed and engineered with Bristol-based Architects 310 Studio.

The blacksmiths produced more than 75 metres of bespoke polished extruded solid brass which had to be specially made and imported from Europe.

The project required a wide range of skills from the high-tech and ultra-modern Cloud surveying, CAD design and CNC machining through to the traditional forge work of the blacksmiths.

A team of five metalworkers from Somerset travelled to London and installed the metalwork over five consecutive nights, working over 12 hours-plus shifts while the building was closed, allowing the building to be open to the public during the day.

Kieren Roberts, from West Country Blacksmiths, said: "It’s a real privilege to have been given the opportunity to work with such an amazing organisation. As a team of craftsmen, it is an honour to put our small mark on landmarks such as this. This was the most complex project we have ever undertaken, and it was a exceedingly difficult challenge, but one we really embraced."

Joanna Grunert, projects manager of the Wellcome Trust, said: "Wellcome Collection and myself are extremely grateful for the time, effort and dedication to the highest quality of product you have provided, the historical and aesthetic value of the staircase has been fully preserved, as well as a trouble-free installation."

The blacksmiths will be adding this project to an impressive portfolio of works which includes gates and railing made for the Royal Courts of Justice, Kensington Palace, Pencarrow House and Cardiff Royal Infirmary.