Vibrant new murals have been installed at Alderley Edge station in Cheshire, which is 14 miles south of Manchester Piccadilly and served by Northern Trains between Crewe and Manchester.
The murals, which celebrate village's heritage, were unveiled on Friday, 4th February by Peter Hook, the bassist and co-founder of the rock bands Joy Division and New Order fame, who is a resident of the village.
The artworks were commissioned by the Community Rail Partnership and Alderley Edge Station Volunteer Group, and were funded by Northern Trains and Waitrose and Partners. They were created by Stockport-based artist Eamonn Murphy
On the Manchester-bound platform, the images show a historic first-class railway carriage from the 1840s, which was chosen to mark the 180th anniversary of the local railway line. In alcoves on the main station building, a set of four images depict the view from The Edge, which is a dramatic sandstone ridge with impressive views over the Cheshire plain towards Manchester and to the hills of Cheshire's Peak District, and is one of Cheshire's best-loved landmarks.
Chris Jackson, regional director at Northern said: “I'd like to thank everyone who has been involved in commissioning and creating these wonderful pieces of art.
“As well as complementing our broader station improvement strategy, these colourful works are welcoming for anyone arriving at the station and are something for everyone in the community to embrace, enjoy and be proud of.”
Artist Eamonn Murphy's work can be seen at many stations in the area including Heaton Chapel, Rose Hill, and Disley. He has created more than 70 artworks featuring landmarks and places of interest accessible from stations on the Crewe to Manchester, and southeast Manchester lines. The collection can be viewed online at http://stationconnections.co.uk.
Eamonn said: “It is an honour to be invited to contribute to the excellent work being done by Alderley Edge Station Volunteer Group and great to see the support of local residents.”
