The LS Lowry painting The Railway Platform 1953, purchased by the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) in November for £1.65m has gone on display at The Lowry in Salford.
It is one of three Lowry works purchased by the PFA in 2015 that are now on long-term loan to the Salford arts centre, the others being: Man Walking 1960, and Footbridge at Droylsden 1955.

PFA Chief Executive, Gordon Taylor OBE, unveiled the works in a visit to the gallery earlier today – where five other PFA-owned Lowrys are already on display: Going to the Match 1946, Going to the Match 1953, The Lake 1971, Mrs Swindells’ Picture 1967 and Lowry’s original pencil sketch for Going to the Match 1953.

The PFA has purchased a number of Lowrys over the years – the most famous of which is the 1953 oil on canvas, Going to the Match, which has been on display at The Lowry since 2000.

Claire Stewart, curator of the LS Lowry collection at The Lowry, said: “We are indebted to the PFA for their ongoing commitment to displaying their LS Lowry collection in our gallery. The Railway Platform is a classic Lowry – showing a whole range of Lowry characters crowded on a station platform waiting for their train.

“The other works are just as special –Mrs Swindells was Lowry’s housekeeper and he gifted that work to her – so it’s a particularly personal painting and one that our visitors enjoy seeing and great for the public to have the chance to see that work up close.”

Commenting on the unveiling, Gordon Taylor OBE said: “The Railway Platform is a delightful addition to our collection displaying Lowry’s unique ability to capture a crowd but retaining the feeling of each individual’s personal solitude, whilst awaiting the steam train to take them to their venues for work, for holidays, for shopping, for visiting family – who knows? Pictures of railway stations are very rare in Lowry’s output which is surprising considering the rich opportunities they provide for a people watcher.”

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