Lime Street local heroes statue to welcome passengers
Merseytravel is to adorn Liverpool Lime Street station with a major piece of public art after commissioning a bronze statue of comedian Ken Dodd greeting late Labour MP Bessie Braddock.
The statue is currently being designed by renowned Liverpool-based artist Tom Murphy.
Neil Scales, chief executive of Merseytravel, said: "Doddy and Battling Bessie will certainly provide a unique welcoming committee! Lime Street is one of our most important gateways and, in terms of public art on our network; this will be one of the jewels in our crown.
"In Ken's case, this is our personal tribute to a man who continues to bring laughter to millions of people.
"This commission is part of our commitment to European Capital of Culture and will help us leave a lasting legacy of a special year."
Bessie Braddock, who died in 1970, was MP for Liverpool Exchange for 25 years and was known as an ardent socialist and fiery campaigner, particularly in the fields of maternity, child welfare and youth crime.
She was the target of many unkind jibes including Winston Churchill's reply to her accusation "You are drunk, Mr Churchill", to which he responded "Yes, Mrs Braddock, but you are ugly and I shall be sober in the morning".
Work on the project is in its very early stages and it will be some months before the finished statue is ready to be unveiled.
