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
Stone rail from the Hay Tor Tramway, Dartmoor, Devon, c. 1826.
Notice, wooden, Shrub Hill Road Level Crossing - Rules.
1849
Memorial plaque, stone, to commemorate those killed during the construction of the Arthington (Bramhope) Tunnel, Leeds & Thirsk Railway, 1845-1849, erected by James Bray, Contractor, 1849, from Otley churchyard.
1930 - 1960
A City of York Council sign for 'Railway Street', removed when it was renamed 'George Hudson Street' in 1971.
Notice, wooden, "ENGINE ASHES ONLY", black on white.
Notice, wooden, "Passengers must not cross the line except by road", white on red.
Casting, cast iron, Midland Railway, Wyvern from spandrel from overbridge at Forster Square Station, Bradford.
Cast iron sign, London & North Eastern Railway, England/Scotland border sign from Deadwater, red letters supported by a white beam, a rose and a thistle, a pike or halberd separates the 2 names at the border, dimensions: 100"H x 179" 15/16 W x 7" 3/8 D, 2450H x4750W x187Dmm.
Weather Vane, Chester & Birkenhead Railway, depicting first locomotive on Chester and Birkenhead Rly 1841, ex Birkenhead.
1850
Railway bridge section, portion of rivetted girder from Britannia Bridge, Menai Straits, with painted inscription LAST RIVET / MARCH 5 1850 / R.STEPHENSON.
Sign, enamel, London Midland & Scottish Railway, "LMS CAR PARK", yellow arrow with blue lettering.
1835-1984
Wall plaque, Works Managers, Shildon 1835-1984.
Notice, Cheshire Lines Committee, white letters on black background. "These closets are intended for the convenience of passengers only, workmen, cabmen, fishporters and idlers are not permitted to use them. By order."
1895
Notice, enamel, Dinorwic Quarries Railway, Rules Regulations & Conditions, 1895, in English and Welsh.
Signal box nameboard, Masons Arms Crossing.
Notice, wooden, "None but Company's horses allowed to drink at this trough", ex Camden Goods Depot.
Cast iron notice, Rhymney Railway, Notice regarding trespassing, in both English & Welsh, white letters on black background.
Cast iron sign, LNW & LYR, Notice regarding mechanically driven capstans, white letters on black background
Rail section, Vignoles flat bottom rail, Birmingham & Gloucester Railway, marked 'Improved Birmingham & Gloucester', ex Crewe Collection.
Rail section, Vignoles, Birmingham & Gloucester Railway, marked 'Birmingham & Gloucester 1840', ex Crewe Collection.
1804
3ft length of rail from the Pen-y-darren tramway, Near Abercynon
Rail section, bull-headed, marked 'Gloucester & Berkeley Rail', ex Crewe Collection.
1908
London & North Western Railway chair for BS95 rail, 1905. Chair dated 1908, mounted on sleeper end with brass plate giving details of rails, chairs and fastenings.
Cast iron sign, Hull, Barnsley & West Riding Junction Railway & Dock Co., Public warning regarding trespass signed G. Scaum, Secretary, white letters on black background.
1810
4 ft cast rail, losh splice joints, marked "CB", no provenance, c1810.
1867
Notice, wooden, Newhaven Harbour Co., Byelaws relating to the new bridge at Newhaven, 1867.
Rail section, Birmingham & Derby Junction Railway [Tame Valley branch], marked in chalk '12' [exhibit number], associated objects 1991-7470/43 and 45, ex Crewe Collection.
Station oil lamp, British Rail (Midland Region), converted to electric, no provenance.
Signal box nameboard, Widenhaugh East, Dimensions: 79"x12"
Thin rail section of flat-bottomed rail from Hejaz Railway, post-1902, mounted on oak board, presented to John Aram MBE on his retirement from the Rutherford Laboratory, Harwell.
Rail section, bull-head with two bolt holes, reputedly London & North Western Railway, 1898, marked '935' [catalogue number], ex Crewe Collection.
Notice, metal, British Railways, "Notice. The Removal and Fixing of Driving belts .....".
Destination Board, North London Railway, "BROAD STREET/ALEXANDRA PALACE", double sided, black letters on white: wooden ex Broad Street Station.
Metal sign, North Eastern Railway, 'Trespassers will be prosecuted'. White on black with white border.
Notice, enamel, Kent & East Sussex Railway, 'Public Notice not to trespass', black letters on white background
1875
Bridge notice, Midland Railway, signed James Williams, 1875, white letters on red
1909
Enamel sign, Midland Railway, These buckets must be kept full of clean water and used only in case of fire, Jan 1909. White blue and red.
Notice, Southern Railway, Great Western Railway, (SR Private Road): GWR Trespass.
Notice, metal and wood, Dundalk Newry & Greenore Railway, "Any person committing a nuisance will be prosecuted", white letters on black background with white border.
1855
Cast metal bridge plaque with laurel wreaths surrounding the date "1855", from Great Howard Street railway bridge in Liverpool, originally mounted with a bronze bust of the deputy chairman of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, William Stuart.
1900
Trackside sign, cast iron, Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, Public Notice, 'All persons are warned not to trespass', white on black, c1900.
Sign, "Underground" sign, circular and illuminated internally. Shows large "U" and an arrow.
Rail section, Little North Western Railway, double-headed rail, marked' Little North Western Ordinary Chair Vignoles', ex Crewe Collection.
Notice, enamel, Railway Executive, 'Passengers must not cross the line here'.
1868-1923
Milepost, 2 miles, Forest of Dean Central Railway, cast iron.
Notice - North British Railway trespass notice, cream letters on green background
Cast iron notice, road sign post showing: Welburn 1/4 mile, Malton 6 miles, Castle Howard Station 3/4 mile. Castle Howard Station, on the York-Malton line, opened in 1845 (Y&NMR) and closed in 1930.
Notice, enamel, British Transport Commission, trespass notice, black letters on white background.
Signal box nameboard, Locomotive Junction, Dimensions: 93 1/2"x10"
Rail, elliptical, cast iron, 55 lbs, marked 'RWCo. H&WB 2', ex Crewe Collection.
