Railway Memorabilia

Railway    Memorabilia dates back to the start of steam travel in the 1800s In addition to locomotive nameplates and station signs, there are many evocative railway-related items around - and some are quite affordable

Railway    Memorabilia

By the early 20th century, there were more than 100 district railway companies operating in Britain. In 1923 these were amalgamated into four groups: the London, Midland <it Scottish (LMS); London & North- Eastern Railways (LNER); the Southern Railway (SR); and the Great Western Railway (GWR). 



The most popular memorabilia dates from the early 1920s until nationalisation in 1948. The Beeching Report on the British railway network, published in 1963, led to the closure of many lines and stations, yielding more collectables.

Railway    Memorabilia

Popular names

Nameplates, especially those from steam locomotives that operated on mainline routes, are prized. The class of locomotive, condition of the metal plate (often cast iron or brass), and even the name itself affect prices. The record for a nameplate is ,£-54,000, paid in 2002 for 'Sir William A. Stainer FRS'.

 As demand is high and the supply is limited, steam loco nameplates are rarely found for less than £10,000.

Even more recent electric or diesel plates can fetch high prices: a 'Queen Elizabeth I* nameplate from a 1991 Class 91 electric loco can cost £6,000-£7,000.

The numbers game

Locomotives also incorporated number plates ('cab side' and 'smokebox') and works plates. Cab-side plates are valuable, with rare brass examples commanding around ±10,000-15,000 or more. More common examples can cost less than ±1.000. Values have levelled out, so keep an eye on price trends before investing.

Railway    Memorabilia

Smokebox plates are smaller in size and less expensive than cab-side plates, although rarer examples can command high prices: a 1948 plate from the Duchess of Sutherland' is valued at £6000 to £7000.

Totems and trespassers.   Railway  Memorabilia

Railway    Memorabilia

Station signs - known as 'totems' - have increased in value over the past few years. When the railways were nationalised in 1948, British Railways set up a colour-coding system for each region, and this is reflected in the colours of the enamel. For example, the Eastern Region had dark blue totems, and the North Eastern region's totems were orange.

Railway    Memorabilia

 A common Southern Region totem can be bought for less than 300, but a rare North Eastern or Scottish Region example can be worth up to ±3,000.

values are starting to rise..

Station information notices, trackside signs, including Beware of the Trains' 

notices, and signal box name-boards are less expensive, with prices starting at around £50 and rising to more than £2,000 for unusual or pristine pieces. Other collectibles include ticket boxes and the 'key tokens' exchanged by train crews to prevent two trains from travelling in opposite directions on single-track lines.

Light and sound

Rare 19th-century signalling lamps can be worth thousands of pounds, but early 20th-century lamps can sell for about £50

Railway    Memorabilia

 Luxury carriage fittings are sought after, and Pullman table lamps can cost around £1,500- 2,000. Brass whistles can be a good buy: a pair of GWR whistles can cost less than £300.

Printed matter

Railway    Memorabilia

           Railway memorabilia  posters can be pricey, but postcards are more affordable at less than £2, up to around £50. Those showing stations before nationalisation are the most desirable. Vintage timetables are also popular and can cost less than £10. Jigsaws made by Chad Valley for the GWR between 1923 and 1939 are also collected: complete sets can fetch more than £40.