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The artist whose painting has been on display in the ticket office at Seaford railway station for the last 26 years has returned to reminisce about his artwork.

Henry Robertson-Nicol visited Seaford station to talk about his painting at the invitation of Southeast Communities Rail Partnership after Sussex Downs Line Officer Paul Bromley fell into conversation with his sister at the ticket office.

She was taking photos of the artwork on her phone to put on her family’s WhatsApp group and mentioned her brother had painted the image.

Henry was a 17-year-old pupil at Newlands Manor boarding school (now closed) studying A-level Art when there was an initiative for school pupils in the area to help brighten up railway stations.

Henry Robertson-Nicol holds the 1997 photo of him with his Seven Sisters painting on the wall behind

He chose to paint the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs.

Henry said: “Painting at that scale is actually quite easy. I did it from a photo I took when I walked up onto the Downs. Looking at it now, my one regret is not getting the Coastguard Cottages in.”

The painting includes his signature in the bottom right-hand corner. It looks like a squiggle but actually says “Henry”.

His painting was chosen to adorn the station ticket office. He visited the station in the summer of 1997 with his Art teacher to have his photo taken with the painting when it was put on display. Henry brought the original photo with him when he returned to see the painting.

1997 photo of 17-year-old Henry Robertson-Nicol with his painting at Seaford railway station

Other artworks from the initiative at the time were also displayed at Seaford and other railway stations.

Looking up at his painting, Henry commented: “It feels a bit surreal that it has lasted that long. I felt there were better paintings by more accomplished people at the station but they are no longer there. The familiarity of it has endured the test of time.”

Henry, now 43 and a behavioural therapist living in Sevenoaks, Kent, had been in Seaford to visit his parents who live in Dane Close. He last saw the painting about 10 years ago.

It may have been chosen to go on display at the station but it didn’t help Henry with his A-level.

“I’m afraid to say I got a D,” he confessed. “It looks grandiose but it was really simple.”

Henry added: “It’s become a bit of a family joke that whenever one of us passes we come in and have a look.”

Seaford station artist revisits scene of teenage triumph