Volunteers from Network Rail joined the Severnside Community Rail Partnership and local residents to help clean graffiti from community murals at Redland and Montpelier stations in Bristol earlier this month.
The murals were created in 2019 by artists Dave Bain and Zoë Power in collaboration with students from Cotham Gardens Primary School. Over 85 children were involved in designing the artwork, assembling imagery and shapes inspired by the local area and celebrating their favourite aspects of the community.
The murals are located at known graffiti hotspots and had been painted to deter vandalism and brighten up Redland and Montpelier stations. Unfortunately, they’d been spray painted and defaced in recent months, so the team of volunteers got to work with water, brushes and elbow grease to remove the worst of the damage.
Thankfully, the original artwork had been coated in specialist anti-graffiti varnish, so the team were able to restore the murals to their former glory in short order. Passengers can once again enjoy the splash of colour at both stations as they’re travelling on the rail network in Bristol.
Máedóc Ellis, Network Rail’s community support manager for community rail, said: “Graffiti makes the railway look untidy for passengers and those who live nearby, so it was great to be able to assist the Severnside Community Rail Partnership and local residents to bring the murals back to life and cleanse them of unsightly graffiti.
“Working with community groups to enhance station environments brings further social benefits to the railway and helps to promote sustainable travel while bringing people together on projects that benefit the wider community. We’ll continue to work with Severnside Community Rail Partnership and local residents in Bristol to make sure our network is safe and welcoming for everyone.”
Image credit: Network Rail
