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Wednesday 19 Mar 2025

This is MCR: new sculpture unveiled to welcome and protect passengers

Region & Route:

North West & Central

| North West & Central: North West

A new light-up sculpture has been revealed outside Manchester Piccadilly station.  

The 8-foot artwork sits outside the station’s taxi rank on Fairfield Street to welcome passengers in and out of the city.   

Whilst proudly standing as a new addition to the cultural architecture of the city centre, the sculpture also has an important safety purpose.   

It has been installed as part of measures to protect passengers in high-pedestrian areas from vehicles which may mount the footpath.   

Rebecca Rathore, Network Rail’s North West route strategy director, said: “I’m so pleased to see the MCR sculpture installed outside of Manchester Piccadilly station. We’re proud to be a part of this city, and we take our responsibility to keep people safe extremely seriously.   

“The sculpture is part of a wider project to keep passengers safer at our stations across the North West. We are always working to improve our station security, and the sculpture is part of a new, comprehensive line of defence to help people feel more secure when they’re out and about.”  

 

Peter Gibbons M.B.E., Network Rail’s Chief Security Officer said: “We are continually striving to improve station security across our network, and this sculpture will help people feel even more secure while on the move.” 

 

The sculpture was designed created in collaboration by Network Rail, Thornton Tomasetti, ATG Access and delivered by Commercial Property Maintenance Services (CPMS). Designed and manufactured by ATG’s in-house engineering team, the sculpture pays homage to Manchester’s rich industrial and engineering heritage.   

 

James Mitchell, BTP Chief Inspector for Manchester, said: "We're pleased to see this new addition outside of the station. The safety of those using the railway is British Transport Police's number one priority and we continue to work alongside the rail industry to ensure passengers feel safe and confident during each part of their journey." 

 

Richard Ellis, Managing Director of ATG Access, said: “We are delighted to celebrate our long standing relationship with Network Rail and the City of Manchester by attending the unveiling of the MCR statue today which is a culmination of many months of hard work and collaboration. As a leading global supplier based in the North West UK of products that help mitigate against hostile vehicle attacks, we are immensely proud and honoured to have played our part in the design, fabrication and installation supported by our supply chain by protecting what matters”. 

Drawing inspiration from industrial elements still present throughout Manchester Piccadilly station and the trains that once graced the railway, whilst integrating the sculpture with a modern lighting system, the MCR sculpture shines a new light on Manchester’s rich heritage.   

Alongside the unveiling of the MCR sculpture, a bee statue has also been presented outside of Manchester Piccadilly. The sculpture, named ‘Guardian’ was created by UK based artist movi_808, and reflects the city’s industrial heritage and follows on from the existing honeybee sculptures in the city. Placed on one of the station's existing blocks, the sculpture also functions as a barrier to prevent vehicles from entering the footpath. 

Visit the Network Rail website to find out more about staying safe and secure.