Underpass Artworks of the British Isles

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Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   Text © Copyright October 2013, Thomas Nugent; licensed for re-use under a Creative Commons Licence.
Images also under a similar Creative Commons Licence.


Contents

Underpass Artworks

The humble underpass, especially the pedestrian variety, comes in many different shapes and sizes. The aim of this collection is to show the many wonderful artworks that are to be found in some of them. Artworks which often go un-noticed or which are afforded just a cursory glance on the way to or from the car park or railway station. Next time, stop and look - even better, stop, look and take a photo.

Contributors please name the town where the underpass is located and also the name of the underpass if known. I expect that the photo descriptions will provide background details of the artworks, including the artist, but feel free to supplement that information here.

Greenock Bullring Car Park South Pedestrian Underpass

These detailed ceramic tile murals by renowned Scottish artist Robert Stewart (1924-1995) depict some of the, mostly long gone, Clyde paddle steamers which used to call at the nearby Customhouse Quay and Princes Pier. Thankfully, one of them (PS Waverley) still does just that today. The underpass was created when Greenock town centre was redeveloped in the early 1970s.

March 2023 update: The tiled murals had fallen into disrepair and were cleaned and restored before being preserved in-situ by covering them with durable panels which show the same images as before. Presumably the tiles will be removed in the future, as there are plans to reroute the road and dispense with the need for the underpass.
The 1970s Murals
NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (1970s) by Thomas Nugent
The original tiled version of P.S. Marchioness of Lorne.
by Thomas Nugent
Shared Description


NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (1970s) by Thomas Nugent
The original tiled version of P.S. Caledonia.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (1970s) by Thomas Nugent
The original tiled version of P.S. Duchess of Fife.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (1970s) by Thomas Nugent
The original tiled version of T.S.S. Duchess of Montrose.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (1970s) by Thomas Nugent
The original tiled version of T.S.S King George V.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (1970s) by Thomas Nugent
The original tiled version of P.S. Columba.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (1970s) by Thomas Nugent
The original tiled version of T.S.S Marchioness of Graham.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (1970s) by Thomas Nugent
The original tiled version of P.S. Waverley.

The Waverley is still running and is the last ocean going paddle steamer in the world. See NS5665 : The Waverley Paddle Steamer.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (1970s) by Thomas Nugent
The original tiled version of T.S.S. Queen Mary II.
by Thomas Nugent
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The 2023 Murals
NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (2023) by Thomas Nugent
T.S.S King George V has unfortunately acquired transparent funnels.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (2023) by Thomas Nugent
The new version of P.S. Marchioness of Lorne.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (2023) by Thomas Nugent
The new version of T.S.S. Queen Mary II.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (2023) by Thomas Nugent
The new version of P.S. Columba.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (2023) by Thomas Nugent
The new version of T.S.S. Marchioness of Graham.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (2023) by Thomas Nugent
The new version of P.S. Duchess of Fife.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (2023) by Thomas Nugent
The new version of T.S.S. Duchess of Montrose.
by Thomas Nugent
Shared Description


NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (2023) by Thomas Nugent
The original version of P.S. Caledonia.
by Thomas Nugent
Shared Description


NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (2023) by Thomas Nugent
The new version of P.S. Waverley.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (2023) by Thomas Nugent
The new version of P.S. Jupiter.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (2023) by Thomas Nugent
The new version of P.S. Mercury.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (2023) by Thomas Nugent
The new version of P.S. Jeanie Deans (note the misspelling 'Jeany').
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (2023) by Thomas Nugent
Looking into the car park from Wallace Place.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (2023) by Thomas Nugent
Looking out of the car park towards Wallace Place.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (2023) by Thomas Nugent
Looking out of the car park towards Wallace Place.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Greenock Bullring Car Park Steamer Murals (2023) by Thomas Nugent
Inverclyde Council and Discover Inverclyde branding and QR code.

Discover Inverclyde:LinkExternal link (or scan the QR code from the photo).
by Thomas Nugent
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Greenock West Stewart Street pedestrian underpass

This underpass was also built during the early 1970s redevelopment and it also featured (past tense) ceramic tile murals which depicted the streetscape before it was demolished.

The murals were replaced with more modern metallic and neon lighting artworks in 2011, but were reproduced in the nearby Oak Mall. Geograph only has one photo of the original murals, which is shown below.

NS2776 : Tile mosaic in West Stewart Street underpass by Thomas Nugent
Part of a large mosaic which shows how the area looked before the developers went crazy in the early 1970s.
by Thomas Nugent



The following photos show the underpass as it is today.

NS2776 : West Stewart Street underpass by Thomas Nugent
The underpass connects West Stewart Street and Kilblain Street to the Oak Mall. The floor resembles a circuit board, perhaps an acknowledgement of the town's electronics history? The lighting changes colours.
by Thomas Nugent


NS2776 : West Stewart Street underpass by Thomas Nugent
The underpass connects West Stewart Street and Kilblain Street to the Oak Mall. The ceramic wall tiles depicting local street scenes from the 1960s were removed and relocated nearby Link . The floor resembles a circuit board, perhaps an acknowledgement of the town's electronics history?
by Thomas Nugent


NS2776 : West Stewart Street underpass by Thomas Nugent
The underpass connects West Stewart Street and Kilblain Street to the Oak Mall. It is mid-renovation, the ceramic wall tiles depicting local street scenes from the 1960s will be returned soon. The floor resembles a circuit board, perhaps an acknowledgement of the town's electronics history?
High Street can be seen in the distance.
by Thomas Nugent


NS2776 : West Stewart Street underpass by Thomas Nugent
Connects West Stewart Street and the Oak Mall.
by Thomas Nugent



Greenock Oak Mall pedestrian underpass

Another product of the early 1970s development, but the ceramic tile mural was only added in 2011 to replace the one in the West Stewart Street underpass (above).

This reproduces the earlier streetscape of the West Stewart Street murals, with a few modern-day additions, including the Cunard liner QE2.

NS2776 : Ceramic tile mural by Thomas Nugent
Located between the Oak Mall and West Stewart Street.
by Thomas Nugent
Shared Description


NS2776 : Ceramic tile mural by Thomas Nugent
Located between the Oak Mall and West Stewart Street.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Ceramic tile mural by Thomas Nugent
Located between the Oak Mall and West Stewart Street.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Ceramic tile mural by Thomas Nugent
Located between the Oak Mall and West Stewart Street. It shows blue sky and a bright sun, so the artist probably didn't spend much time in Greenock.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Ceramic tile mural by Thomas Nugent
Located between the Oak Mall and West Stewart Street. The ship is the Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) which was fitted-out at Inchgreen dry dock in the town in 1967 and was an occasional visitor to Greenock in the her latter years of service as a cruise liner. The crane is at James Watt Dock and is one of the surviving 'Clyde Titans' Link .
by Thomas Nugent
Shared Description


NS2776 : Ceramic tile mural by Thomas Nugent
Located between the Oak Mall and West Stewart Street. The ship is the Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) which was fitted-out at Inchgreen dry dock in the town in 1967 and was an occasional visitor to Greenock in the her latter years of service as a cruise liner.
by Thomas Nugent
Shared Description


NS2776 : Ceramic tile mural by Thomas Nugent
Located between the Oak Mall and West Stewart Street. The building depicted on the right is the Beacon Arts Centre which is currently under construction at Customhouse Quay.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Ceramic tile mural by Thomas Nugent
Located between the Oak Mall and West Stewart Street.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS2776 : Ceramic tile mural by Thomas Nugent
Located between the Oak Mall and West Stewart Street.
by Thomas Nugent
Shared Description



Harpenden Station Road underpass


TL1314 : Station Road underpass murals by Thomas Nugent
Some of the locally themed murals in the underpass at the railway bridge on Station Road.
by Thomas Nugent
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TL1314 : Station Road underpass murals by Thomas Nugent
Some of the locally themed murals in the underpass at the railway bridge on Station Road.
by Thomas Nugent
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TL1314 : Station Road underpass murals by Thomas Nugent
Some of the locally themed murals in the underpass at the railway bridge on Station Road. This one depicts the nearby agricultural research centre LinkExternal link .
by Thomas Nugent
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TL1314 : Station Road underpass murals by Thomas Nugent
Some of the locally themed murals in the underpass at the railway bridge on Station Road.
by Thomas Nugent
Shared Description



Glasgow Meadow Road pedestrian underpass

This underpass was revamped as part of the Glasgow Harbour riverside housing development which has transformed the site of Meadowside granary which was the largest in Europe. Four local schools (Thornwood Primary, St Peter's Primary, St Paul's (Whiteinch) Primary and Dowanhill Primary) participated in the project to decorate the underpass with ceramic tiles depicting local scenes, under the guidance of local artist Deborah Campbell.

The first photo below shows the entrance to the underpass which passes underneath the A814 Clydeside Expressway. The rest show the twenty tiled panels, each of which consists of ten individual ceramic tiles.



NS5566 : Meadow Road Underpass Tiles by Thomas Nugent
One of the local landmark buildings depicted in the underpass.
by Thomas Nugent
Shared Description


NS5566 : Meadow Road Underpass Tiles by Thomas Nugent
One of the local landmarks depicted in the underpass.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS5566 : Meadow Road Underpass Tiles by Thomas Nugent
One of the two descriptive tile panels.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS5566 : Meadow Road Underpass Tiles by Thomas Nugent
Possibly the Tall Ship Glenlee in full sail NS5565 : The Tall Ship.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS5566 : Meadow Road Underpass Tiles by Thomas Nugent
Possibly the Glasgow Harbour apartments NS5566 : Glasgow Harbour.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS5566 : Meadow Road Underpass Tiles by Thomas Nugent
Possibly one of the Glasgow Harbour apartment blocks NS5566 : Glasgow Harbour.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS5566 : Meadow Road Underpass Tiles by Thomas Nugent
A crane by the Clyde.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS5566 : Meadow Road Underpass Tiles by Thomas Nugent
Possibly Trinity College NS5766 : West End towers.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS5566 : Meadow Road Underpass Tiles by Thomas Nugent
Possibly the Glasgow Tower at the Science Centre NS5665 : The Glasgow Tower.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS5566 : Meadow Road Underpass Tiles by Thomas Nugent
One of the two descriptive tile panels.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS5566 : Meadow Road Underpass Tiles by Thomas Nugent
Possibly the Govan Angel building NS5764 : The Angel Building.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS5566 : Meadow Road Underpass Tiles by Thomas Nugent
This one looks very like like The Armadillo NS5665 : Armadillo or shark?.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS5566 : Meadow Road Underpass Tiles by Thomas Nugent
A pair of cranes by the Clyde.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS5566 : Meadow Road Underpass Tiles by Thomas Nugent
A local building, possibly a factory or warehouse.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS5566 : Meadow Road Underpass Tiles by Thomas Nugent
Possibly the Meadowside granary which once stood near this spot.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS5566 : Meadow Road Underpass Tiles by Thomas Nugent
Ships on the Clyde, possibly PS Waverley in the foreground.
by Thomas Nugent
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NS5566 : Meadow Road Underpass Tiles by Thomas Nugent
The Finnieston Crane.
by Thomas Nugent
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Milngavie Station Road pedestrian underpass

This underpass links the town centre and the railway station and is often used by hikers starting or finishing the West Highland Way.

It depicts famous local people and historic scenes and is in the form of a spiral bound photo album, with photos taped to the pages.

The entrance at the railway station side of the underpass.
NS5574 : Welcome to Milngavie by Thomas Nugent
The underpass just north of the railway station.
by Thomas Nugent
Shared Descriptions



The "photos"...










NS5574 : Milngavie underpass murals by Thomas Nugent
The busker is real.
by Thomas Nugent
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Milngavie, Gavin's Mill Underpass

The entrance at the Gavin's Mill side of the underpass.


The murals...








KML

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