South Western Railway (SWR) and Network Rail have unveiled a striking new mural at London Waterloo to commemorate Railway 200, marking two centuries of Britain’s rail heritage at the country’s busiest station.

Unveiled on Friday, 24 October, the artwork titled 200 Years of Romance was created by artist Patricio Forrester, founder of the public art collective Artmongers, renowned for their large-scale community murals. The piece celebrates the enduring relationship between railways, people, and place, transforming part of the concourse into a vibrant visual story of railway life.

To create the mural, SWR and Network Rail invited colleagues and local rail community groups to submit images representing their most cherished railway moments. The final installation includes around 40 photographs and illustrations contributed by more than 200 people, capturing moments of pride and connection across the network.

Among the highlights are a cake marking Brockenhurst station’s 178th birthday, a farewell to the Island Line’s 1938 London Underground trains, Queen Elizabeth II’s visit to Salisbury station during her Diamond Jubilee in 2012, and the 175th anniversary celebrations of London Waterloo in 2023.

Explaining his vision, artist Patricio Forrester said:

“The three aspects integral to the design of the mural were Monumental, Industrial, Perspective. The joining of two tracks, the vanishing point on the platform as the train passes through the station. London Waterloo is monumental and industrious, just like a cathedral. This gave me the idea to showcase the photos as stained glass — designed to look translucent and let the light through, much like stained glass windows.”

The mural, located near Exit 3, now brings colour and storytelling to one of the most historic parts of the station.

Speaking on behalf of South Western Railway and Network Rail, Paula Aldridge, Community Rail Manager at South Western Railway, said:

“Waterloo’s new mural showcases so many special moments. It shows how important the railway is to people, but also how the railway’s 200-year history is all about people.

“The artwork has given this part of the station a new lease of life and sits proudly in the busy heart of London for all to see.”

Image: South Western Railway