70 Below at Highgate Station

Small Green Shoots, a music consultancy based in King's Cross, has teamed up with Heritage Lottery Fund and Transport for London for the project 70Below - Celebrating 70 years of Highgate Tube Station. The project draws on local people's memories of the station since its opening in 1941.

Five young people aged 17-20 have been carrying out a research project this month on the history of Highgate Tube, talking to station staff and local people with a particular focus on older people's memories of the station.  With the information they have collected the group has produced an artwork that will be on display in the station from the 28th November.

The station was used as an air raid shelter during WWII, and is also notable as the birthplace of television presenter and former Mayor of Cincinatti Jerry Springer who was born on a platform during one such raid. The station was originally constructed as part of the railway line between Edgware and Finsbury Park that is now the Parkland Walk; low-level station opened on 19 January 1941.

Students Jordan McKeown, aged 20, Steven Gallego, 17, Makeda McMillan, 17, Ezinne Archibald, 17, and Aimee Kindell, 18, from DW8 College in Walthamstow enjoyed speaking to staff at the station and at the London Transport Museum, and meeting local people who have lived near the station for many years. Project co-ordinator Ruth Titmarsh says, "The team interviewed some real characters! The interesting thing is that we have exclusive content to share."

The six-foot banner produced by the group will be unveiled on Monday 28 November, and will reamin on display until January next year. If you'd like to contribute to the group's research, it's not too late - message @70Below on Twitter or drop us a line below!

Images: Small Green Shoots and  satguru