Follow the development of rail infrastructure from the wooden railways of the 18th century to 21st century technology, including track, signs and lineside equipment.
Railway Infrastructure
Enamel sign, 'West London Extension Railway'.
Cast iron notice Great Western Railway: "Notice - Platelayers and others must be careful when opening out ballast on this bridge not to damage the asphalte" (Painted black with white letters)
Enamel notice, 'Gentlemen's Room'
Milepost, cast iron, Stockton & Darlington Railway, "Zero" post.
Spandrel, North Eastern Railway, cast iron spandrel depicting North Eastern Railway Coat of Arms ex Leeds City Station.
Sign, enamel, North Eastern Railway, 'PORTERS', cream on brown.
Signalbox notice, North Eastern Railway, Deviation.
Sign, enamel, North Eastern Railway, 'STATION MASTER', cream on brown.
Brass sign mounted on wood, North Eastern Railway, OFFICES, ex Darlington.
Station seat nameplate, North Eastern Railway, Barras.
Signal box nameboard, North Eastern Railway, Waterhouses, iron letters pinned on wood.
Block of wood, NER. Newcastle High Level Bridge. Piece of American Elm cut from sheet piling of Cofferdam about one foot above low water level about 73 years after being driven. September 1919. Dimensions 13"x5 1/2"x3"
Station sign, running-in board, Southern Railway/BR(S) "POOLE", green and white enamel.
Notice, wooden, South Eastern & Chatham Railway, Notice to cabdrivers re skylarking. Measurements overall: 837 mm x 825 mm x 62 mm.
1853
Rail chair, for double-headed rail, marked 'chair for double-headed rail 28 lbs [actually 29 1/2 lbs] 1853', ex Crewe Collection.
Wooden sign, London Brighton & South Coast Railway, 'UPPER GOODS', black wooden sign with white metal letters. ex signalbox at Brighton. 56"x8"
Milepost, Midland Railway, cast iron, 2-sided angled sign on iron post: "266 3/4 /3/4", ex Heysham Harbour Station.
Brass notice, London Midland & Scottish Railway, 'District Operating Managers Office'.
Enamel totem, British Railway (London Midland Region), 'Elmesthorpe'.
Totem, enamel, British Rail (London Midland Region), 'Fleetwood'.
Cast iron sign, Manchester Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway, 'MS & LRY Stop Tap', red.
Cast iron sign, Great Central Railway, Notice re Bill Posters (unpainted). Dimensions: 300mm x 510mm.
Cast iron notice, TRANSHIPS, White letters on blue ground. 18 3/4"x3 1/2"
Enamel sign, BR(NER), 'No exit' (orange with white letters).
Cast iron notice, LAMPS, White letters on black ground. 13 1/4"x3 1/2"
Cast iron plaque, North Eastern Railway. Maker's plate from Buffer Stops. ex Peter Allen Building Compounds. "LANGLEY'S Patent Safety Hydraulic Buffer Stops Made By Ransomes and Rapier 5 Westminster Chambers". Dimensions 300x460mm
Enamel sign, SR, "To Southern Railway trains" (white on green), Dimensions: 790mmx1090mm
Notice - (SR Private Road): GN & GE Bridge plate "37"
Enamel sign, SE&CR, South Eastern (blue on white), part of posterboard heading (see 1986-8657). Dimensions: 83"x9"
1940-1950
Maker's plate from buffer stops. "Supplied by thos W. Ward Ltd. Albion Works Sheffield". Cast iron, rectangular, c.1945. Dimensions 12 1/2"x8"
1895
Stained glass panel, Manchester Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway, ex Gorton Works boardroom, Manchester, 1895, illustrating the coats-of-arms of Stockport.
1897
Stained glass panel, Manchester Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway, ex Gorton Works boardroom, Manchester, 1895, illustrating the coats-of-arms of East Retford.
Stained glass panel, Manchester Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway, ex Gorton Works boardroom, Manchester, 1895, illustrating the coats-of-arms of Birkenhead.
Enamel notice, "The site of the Rainhill Trials. October 1829. Won by George Stephenson's Rocket".
Platform railings, Southern Railway. 35 yards of ornamental iron railings including 3 archways from Victoria Station, London
1839
Rail chair, Midland Counties, marked 'M.C.R. ord[inary] chair A.D. 1839 for stone blocks', ex Crewe Collection.
1837
Rail section, double headed rail, Midland Counties Railway, marked 'M.C.R. Vignoles and Woodhouse 78 lbs 1837', ex Crewe Collection.
Rail chair, Midland Counties Railway, marked '1839 33 lbs 5 [catalogue number] Midland Counties joint chair for stone blocks', ex Crewe Collection.
Rail section, Erewash Valley Railway, stamped 'A' on one end, 8 lb, '6' [exhibit number] marked in chalk, associated object 1991-7470/76, ex Crewe Collection.
Rail chair, joint, with two iron wedges, for scarf jointed rail, marked 'joint rail', ex Crewe Collection.
Rail chair, single-sided joint, for double-headed rail, reputedly Warrington and Stockport, marked '271' [catalogue number], ex Crewe Collection.
Rail assembly with chair, bull-head rail section and key, reputedly Furness Railway, marked '780' [catalogue number] and embossed 'LNWR B1', ex Crewe Collection.
Rail chair, for T-rail, Birmingham & Derby Junction Railway, marked 'Derby & Birmingham', ex Crewe Collection.
Rail section, Birmingham & Derby Junction Railway [Tame Valley branch], marked in chalk '12' [exhibit number], associated objects 1991-7470/48 and /50, ex Crewe Collection.
1856
Rail chair, for parallel rail, Birmingham & Derby Junction Railway [Tame Valley branch], marked 'Tame Valley improved chair 26 lbs AD 1856', associated objects 1991-7470/49 and /50, ex Crewe Collection.
One railway chair, Liverpool & Manchester Railway.
Rail assembly, with chair, rail section and key, London & North Western Railway, general, marked '381' [catalogue number] and embossed 'L&NW A3 H', ex Crewe Collection.
1907
Rail and fishplate section, Midland Railway, marked 'New fishplates to suit worn 80 lbs M.R. rail', 1907, ex Crewe Collection.
1881
Rail chair, for double-headed rail, Great Northern Railway, marked '761' [catalogue number] and embossed 'GNR 1 1881 788 LHRB ...side', ex Crewe Collection.
1850
Rail chair, probably Midland Railway, marked 'Barlow's round top chair AD 1850 No. 10' [catalogue number], '16' [exhibit number] marked in chalk, ex Crewe Collection.
