Philatelic first day cover, issued by the Irregular Special Railway Company, The Sherlock Holmes Railway Society, 18 January 1994. Envelope with five Royal Mail stamps from The Age of Steam series by photographer Colin Gifford. The cover features a reproduction of Sidney Paget’s 1892 illustration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s story, The Adventure of Silver Blaze. The illustration, titled ‘Holmes gave me a sketch of the events’, depicts Dr Watson and Sherlock Holmes in a railway carriage on a journey to Dartmoor. A simplified version of the illustration also appears in the two frank markings inked over the stamps. The stamps, in five denominations are 19p depicting Class 5 No 44957 and Class B1 No. 61343 on West Highland Line; 25p depicting Class A1 No. 60149 Amadis at Kings Cross; 30p depicting Class 4 No. 43000 on Turntable at Blyth North; 35p depicting Class 4 No. 42455 near Wigan Central; 41p depicting Class Castle No. 7002 Devizes Castle on Bridge crossing Worcester and Birmingham Canal. The stamps, in photogravure and PVA gum, were designed by Delaney Design Consultants, printed by Harrison & Sons Ltd. Text on the cover gives details of the society and the address of Antony Richards. At top right is a small illustration of a tank locomotive with deerstalker and pipe.