‘Famous Faces’ Metro mural celebrates its 30th anniversary

The popular and colourful artwork, Famous Faces, painted by former coal miner and artist Bob Olley, has been on display at Monument Metro station in Newcastle city centre since 1996.

Fourteen of the region’s most charismatic figures from that period are seen looking out of the window of a Metro train carriage.

We commissioned the work through our Art on Transport Programme. Olley set about painting the caricatures of local personalities, shown looking out from the Metro carriage.

Celebrities included are from the worlds of sport, entertainment, broadcasting, literature, music, acting and the church.

Famous Faces has been seen by millions of Metro passengers over the last three decades.

It features: Paul Gascoigne, Jimmy Nail, Sting, Cardinal Basil Hume, Mike Neville, Robson Green, Brian Johnson, Brendan Foster, Rowan Atkinson, Sir John Hall, Peter Beardsley, Dame Catherine Cookson, Tim Healy and Jack Charlton.

Olley’s mural was created while he was working as artist in residence at the Customs House Gallery in South Shields.

The Director General of Nexus in the mid-1990s, Mike Parker, loved the piece so much that he had had it displayed next to the busy staircase at – the busiest station on the Metro network.

An official film was commissioned by Nexus in 2021 to celebrate the work.

In that video Bob Olley recounts how Famous Faces came to fruition, and his feelings about the iconic work that he created.

He said: “I remember that I needed someone to open my exhibition at the Customs House and I asked the then director general of Nexus Mike Parker if he would help me out.

“I knew Mike quite well and thought if he’s opening the exhibition at the Customs House for me then I’d do a painting for Nexus in return. I decided this idea of a railway carriage called famous faces, which would be a Metro carriage with all these local celebrities on board. People like Sting, Jimmy Nail and the late Mike Neville.

“When the exhibition was over with I was pleased to learn that the mural was going on permanent display at Monument Metro station – and it’s still there to this day. I would love to know how many people have seen it. It’s got to be in the millions.

“My family use Monument Metro station quite a lot and they always say that there’s always somebody looking at the mural and trying to identify who all the people are in the carriage. The family like fact that people say ‘oh, it was you’re dad who painted that one’. It’s nice to have something there that as your legacy.”

Lynne Dickinson, Station Delivery Manager at Nexus, said: “Famous Faces is one of the most popular works on the Metro system, and has been for the last three decades.

“The artwork depicts some of most famous celebrities from the north east of England and was originally part of Bob Olley’s residency at the Customs House gallery in South Shields.

“We felt that it needed a wider and more permanent audience and so we acquired it for our Art on Transport Programme at Monument. It sits on one of the busiest stair cases on the Metro system and is seen by thousands of people each and every day.”

Who are the Famous Faces at on the mural:

Robson Green

Actor, singer-songwriter and television presenter. From Hexham. Aged 61.

Brian Johnson

Singer and songwriter. The third lead singer of the Australian rock band AC/DC, taking over the role in 1980 after the death of Bon Scott. From Gateshead. Aged 78.

Sir Brendan Foster CBE

Former long-distance runner, athletics commentator and road race organiser. He founded the Great North Run. From Hebburn. Aged 78.

Rowan Atkinson

Comedian and actor and writer. Most noted for playing Mr Bean, Blackadder and Johnny English. From Consett. Aged 71.

Sir John Hall

Property developer, former Chairman of Newcastle United. From Ashington. Aged 93.

Peter Beardsley

Former professional footballer who played for Newcastle United and England. From Hexham. Aged 65.

Dame Catherine Cookson

Author who sold 100 million novels worldwide. From South Shields. Died in 1998, aged 91.

Tim Healy

Actor noted for his role as Dennis Patterson in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. From Benwell in Newcastle. Aged 74.

Jack Charlton

Professional footballer who helped England win the World Cup in 1966 before a career in management with notable speel as manager of the Republic of Ireland. From Ashington. Died in 2020, aged 85.

Paul Gascoinge (Gazza)

Former professional footballer who played for Newcastle United and England as well as spells at Tottenham Hotspur, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough and Everton. From Dunston in Gateshead. Aged 59.

Jimmy Nail

Singer-songwriter, actor, film producer, and television writer. He played the role of Leonard “Oz” Osborne in the television show Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. From Benton in Newcastle. Aged 72.

Cardinal Basil Hume

Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Westminster. From Newcastle. Died in 1999, aged 76.

Sting

Musician, songwriter and actor. Lead vocalist, principal songwriter and bassist for the rock band the Police before successful solo career. From Wallsend in North Tyneside. Aged 74.

Mike Neville

Broadcaster, best known as a presenter on regional TV news in north-east England across a 43-year career with the BBC and ITV Tyne Tees. From Willington Quay in North Tyneside. Died in 2017, aged 80.