Two sisters have been commissioned by a group which maintains the disused Green Line trainline, to transform what was a graffiti hotspot in a conservation area.

The Green Line used to be a part of the train line from Nottingham to St Pancras, but the line was closed in 1969. It was later opened for use by the local community in 1989 as it has a large selection of urban wildlife.

The line is looked after by the voluntary group ‘Friends of the Green Line’ who look after conservation in the area, hosting work parties for local people to assist in the maintenance of the site.

The group maintains the Green Line with Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust on behalf of Rushcliffe Borough Council.

Chris Slater, a member of the group who organises many of the work parties, reached out to Reggie Pugh after seeing her artwork in the windows of shops in West Bridgford with the interest of commissioning.

The theme of the mural echoes the Green Line itself
Gina Harries-Pugh – Artist

Reggie, alongside her sister Gina Harries-Pugh, combined their art skills to create a piece that reflects all four seasons. Gina believes that “the theme of the mural echoes the Green Line itself”.

When deciding on the style of the mural, the sisters decided that they wanted to use a mixture of spray cans and hand-cut stencils to emulate the look of graffiti and street-art spotted around the city.

In the past, the wall has fallen victim to vandalism and graffiti, to a point where people have taken to social media to express their concerns and local volunteers, including members of ‘Friends of the Green Line’ have been left to clean it up.

Reggie started her company 4 years ago during the COVID pandemic where she started  painting windows. Since then, her business has grown and she’s known around West Bridgford for her unique art style.

The more art around there is the better, it can be very uplifting
Gina Harries-Pugh – Artist

Gina believes that colour is important in areas like this, saying that “the more art around there is the better, it can be very uplifting.”

According to the group’s website it believes the line is important and it looks to “preserve the linear routes which connect wildlife areas” for many years to come.