Underpass Artworks of the British Isles

---

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










The 2023 Murals

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.



The following photos show the underpass as it is today.

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.

Harpenden Station Road underpass

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.

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.


The "photos"...

Milngavie, Gavin's Mill Underpass

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


The murals...

---

---

( Page 1 2 3 4 next >> )