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Thursday 17 Dec 2020

Time for the 100th mural in Network Rail’s Southern region - featuring Waterloo’s iconic clock

Region & Route:

Southern: Wessex

| Southern

Waterloo station’s iconic clock takes centre stage in the one hundredth community artwork project that has taken place in Network Rail’s Southern region

The mural on Station Approach Road sits outside Britain’s busiest station and features the time of 6.48pm. On a 24 hour clock that would be 1848 – the year the station opened.

Network Rail has once again teamed up with celebrated street artist Lionel Stanhope on this creation – his fiftieth for the region – who has been turning railway arches, bridges and community spaces across Kent, Surrey, Sussex and South London into stunning pieces of artwork since 2016.

His work in 2020 has included a mural for Millwall football club one for the community near Barnes Bridge and an NHS inspired mural in Southwark

Nicole Cohen-Wray, stations director for Network Rail's Southern region, said: “It’s a fitting tribute for Waterloo station – our busiest - to be the location of our one hundredth mural.

“We own bridges and other structures across the South, Kent and Sussex and we work with community groups to turn these spaces into works of art as the murals are much nicer to look at and they also encourage people to respect and look after them.

“We’re always open to creative ways to make our railway look better and more welcoming for the neighbourhood.”

Eddie Burton, community manager for Network Rail Southern region, said: “It’s been a real privilege to be involved in some brilliant pieces of community artwork, particularly working with Lionel Stanhope, across the South of England.

"We’re looking forward to working with communities during 2021 to bring more colour to their neighbourhoods.”

Replacing the first terminus of the London and Southampton Railway at Nine Elms, Waterloo Station was opened in 1848 by the London and South Western Railway as part of extending the line two miles to be nearer the city. This original station, known as ‘central station’, had six platforms.