Did you know that Farringdon was the first underground railway station on Earth?
Date: 08/01/13
Did you know that Farringdon was the first underground railway station on Earth? Opened in 1863, the station is now in its 150th year, and students at London Metropolitan University are on track to making it a special occasion.
The London Metro Projects Society, based in London Metropolitan Business School, is holding a celebratory event to commemorate this landmark year for the station, Farringdon and the Borough of Islington.
London Metro Project Society (LMPS) is run by students for those who are interested in Project Management, and gives students the chance to expand their general interests, knowledge and work experience in the field.
MSc Project Management student Stefania Menga, from LMPS, is one of the organisers of the Farringdon event. She said: “We are excited to be working on the Farringdon Project to celebrate this momentous moment in history!
“LMPS has a longstanding interest in rail. Our visiting professor Lester Hillman and Tim Lyons, from Crossrail, have been supporting our MSc Project Management students with guest lectures and a recent visit to the Crossrail visitor centre at Tottenham Court Road.
“London Met is at the heart of the Crossrail project in the City of London, with our Business School at Moorgate and our Cass School of Art, Architecture and Design at Aldgate East both superbly located for students. We have good links with Crossrail and have been working on Crossrail projects since 2008.”
The event, which takes place at Islington Museum on 10 January, is part of a month-long celebration organised by the students. Local pupils from St. Alban's C of E Primary and Nursery School were invited to create art to capture ‘150 years of Farringdon Station’.
The art work was judged by Rosemarie McGoldrick, BA Fine Art Course Leader at London Met’s Sir John Cass Faculty of Art, Architecture and Design, and Farringdon Station Control Room Assistant Neville Dyer.
Rosemarie said: “I particularly enjoyed the way the St Alban's students created a sense of ‘being there’ and ‘going somewhere’ at Farringdon Station and of people enjoying themselves. Some of the work was very original.”
The sentiment was echoed by Victor Modza, Farringdon Station Supervisor, who described the children’s art as “very imaginative.” The Mayor of Islington, Councillor Jilani Chowdhury, will be presenting prizes to the pupils at the celebration event.
Run by students at London Metropolitan Business School, London Metro Projects Society aims to help others learn more about project management, to develop opportunities for working together and to help the local community find out more about the exciting projects taking place around them.
The society reflects the initiative of students at London Met and the many opportunities open to them during their studies.
Professor Malcolm Gillies, vice-chancellor of London Metropolitan University, and Richard Walker, recent winner of the internationally recognised Association for Project Management ‘Project Manager of the Year’ 2012 award, will both give talks at the celebration. There will also be presentations about the history of Farringdon Station, project management and safety, security and rail infrastructure.
After the seminar, there will be networking and refreshments thanks to Islington sponsors Pixxa Pizzeria and Starbucks Coffee Company.
Details
150 years celebration: Farringdon Station - the first underground in the world
4.00-9.00pm, 10 January 2013
Islington Museum
245 St John Street London EC1V 4NB
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