A mural celebrating a Glasgow-born woman who overcame prejudice in the 1970s to be one of the UK's first female train drivers has been unveiled in London.
The artwork, which has appeared at Euston Station, features trailblazer the late Karen Harrison, who became a train driver in 1979 despite facing intense discrimination.
The 8 x 5 metre tribute to was commissioned by Avanti West Coast as part of a new campaign to encourage more women up and down the country to drive trains.
READ MORE: Interactive Glasgow mural to commemorate first female commercial pilot
Ms Harrison, who was born in Glasgow but raised in Finchley, north London, initially applied for a job at British Rail using the name K Harrison in order to hide her gender.
She became fully qualified within two years, but was forced to battle against constant discrimination, with male colleagues refusing to work alongside her, making sexist and obscene comments in her company and defacing her locker.
As Karen passed away in 2011, her family gave Avanti West Coast their blessing to create the giant mural, believing that she would be an advocate of the campaign to get more women working in the rail industry, which continues to be dominated by men.
Sign up to our Glasgow Live nostalgia newsletters for more local history and heritage content straight to your inbox
In the 1997 BBC Documentary, ‘People’s Century’ Karen Harrison was quoted saying: “I was the first woman to get a driver’s job, so it was quite an unusual thing.
"[At the time] it was open warfare, people wouldn’t work with me, people put notes up about me, my locker was defaced. Graphic pornography went up in the mess rooms, not just the usual bosoms and bums but the kind of stuff that gynaecologists have to read.
"I’ve never wanted to be pushed out. I knew if I’d left the railway, I’d have let these people win and what was happening was wrong and it wasn’t fair. It’s now put me in a position where when it happens to other women, I now know how to help them.”
The giant artwork for Karen Harrison was created by Manchester-based artist Akse.
Speaking about the campaign, Akse said: “I’m incredibly proud to be involved in highlighting Karen’s achievements on the railway. This mural will be seen by thousands of passengers each day and I hope her image continues to inspire, encourage, and educate the next generation."
Marie Harrison, sister of Karen Harrison said: "My sister Karen was a trailblazer in the rail industry, in the trade union movement and beyond.
"She applied her determination and formidable intelligence to achieve her goals and her family is enormously proud that this legacy continues to have an impact today."
In 2022, female applicants made up 18% of driver applications at Avanti West Coast, compared to 12.5% in 2020.
READ NEXT:
Throwback Glasgow footage takes us round city centre shops in 1993
Things we could do in ‘00s Glasgow that we can’t do anymore
Eminem at Hampden and 12 other brilliant Glasgow photos that'll take you back to 2003
Looking back at Glasgow’s first electric tram that the city welcomed 124 years ago today
Street songs you’ll know word for word if you grew up in Glasgow
