History un-earthed: ancient clay from London Bridge station transformed into art

A third of a tonne of clay, thought to be 54 million years old, has been un-earthed from beneath London Bridge station and turned into art inspired by the rail network and the station that is used by 54 million passengers each year.

Inspired by the sight of a piling machine digging deep into the foundations of London Bridge, which is currently being redeveloped by the Thameslink Programme, artist Alison Cooke asked Network Rail for a batch of the raw material.

Happy to oblige, Network Rail provided a tour of the station construction site and access to the many historical artefacts that have been found during the station's £1bn redevelopment so far.

The Southwark-based artist shared the clay with seven fellow members of the Associated Clay Workers' Union (ACWU) to create pieces of contemporary art that reference the railway and the history of London Bridge.