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
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.
Stone rail from the Hay Tor Tramway, Dartmoor, Devon, c. 1826.
1888; 1984
Rivet, Forth Bridge Railway Co. Iron rivet with round head, mounted on wood base, from Forth Bridge, 1888 (removed 1984). Overall: 60 mm x 122 mm x 70 mm; rivet: 83 mm 41 mm.
Notice, wooden, Shrub Hill Road Level Crossing - Rules.
1930 - 1960
A City of York Council sign for 'Railway Street', removed when it was renamed 'George Hudson Street' in 1971.
Notice, wooden, "Passengers must not cross the line except by road", white on red.
Weather Vane, Chester & Birkenhead Railway, depicting first locomotive on Chester and Birkenhead Rly 1841, ex Birkenhead.
Sign, enamel, London Midland & Scottish Railway, "LMS CAR PARK", yellow arrow with blue lettering.
Notice, wooden, "ENGINE ASHES ONLY", black on white.
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.
1850
Railway bridge section, portion of rivetted girder from Britannia Bridge, Menai Straits, with painted inscription LAST RIVET / MARCH 5 1850 / R.STEPHENSON.
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."
1835-1984
Wall plaque, Works Managers, Shildon 1835-1984.
Signal box nameboard, Masons Arms Crossing.
1895
Notice, enamel, Dinorwic Quarries Railway, Rules Regulations & Conditions, 1895, in English and Welsh.
Notice, wooden, "None but Company's horses allowed to drink at this trough", ex Camden Goods Depot.
Enamel sign, British Rail (North Eastern Region), Platform 5, double-sided, white on orange, ex York Station.
1823-1825
Bridge, Stockton & Darlington Railway, cast iron bridge reputed to be the first iron railway bridge, used to span the River Gaunless at West Auckland, designed by George Stephenson, built by John & Isaac Burrell, Newcastle upon Tyne between 1823-1825.
Rail assembly, with chair, double-headed rail, wedge and key, experimental, 1860, marked '380' [catalogue number], ex Crewe Collection.
1838
Station Gates, London & Birmingham Railway. Gates from 'Doric Arch' of Euston Station. Heavy wrought iron with ornamental locks bearing L & BR crest.
Footbridge; North Eastern Railway; Cast Iron; ex Percy Main station
Keystone from decorative arch, Stockton & Darlington Railway, human head on one side and grapes on the other, ex South Stockton station, now Thornaby.
1948-1970
Enamel station sign, British Railways (London Midland Region), Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (the longest station name in the world) white letters on maroon, in 3 pieces, each piece 77"x12".
Boundary marker, London & South Western Railway, cast iron.
Milepost, NER, 1/2 mile
1839
Section of bridge, Newcastle & North Shields Railway, laminated timber, designed by John and Benjamin Green, Engineers, from bridge over the Borough Road, North Shields, built 1839, demolished 1937.
Wagon plate, Hull Barnsley & West Riding Junction Railway and Dock Company, "HB&WR 1 Jn Ry & Dk Co", cast iron, rectangular with concave corners, white on black.
1948-1966
Notice, British Railways (Southern Region), BR Maintenance Ends, cast iron, oval.
Cast iron notice, Any person who omits to shut and fasten this gate is liable to a penalty not exceeding forty shillings, black letters on white background
1875
Bridge notice, Midland Railway, signed James Williams, 1875, white letters on red
1967
Three Dowty Retarders, exploded to show mechanisms, 5 foot/second retarder, 4 and 12 foot/second booster retarders, in display case, British Railways, c1967, fitted to track in marshalling yard and used to speed or slow wagons during marshalling.
Cast iron notice, Great Southern & Western Railway, Pursuant to section 38 of the Great Southern & Western Railway Act 1903 the public are hereby warned not to Trespass upon this railway.
1810-1835
Sleeper, cast iron, for approximately 17'' gauge track, convex with hollow base, double flanged web along top edge rising to form two chairs, embossed 'A DER 1848', 35'' in length.
1828
Two lengths of wrought iron fish-belly rail with projection to fit cavity in chair, with three chairs and two stone sleepers. W Losh's patent, 1828.
Insulator, porcelain cut-in insulator, 6.25Kv, BR CE overhead line conversion from 1500v DC to 6.25/ 25Kv ac, 1960, on presentation mahogany plinth, as presented to C.R. Jones, BR electric overhead line engineer, on his retirement, 5th May 1989.
Bridge spanner, London & North Western Railway, large open-ended spanner for tightening bolts on Britannia Tubular Bridge, with nut. Nut: 85 mm x 160 mm; spanner: 1590 mm x 243 mm x 23 mm.
Section of Atmospheric Pipe, South Devon Railway between Exeter & Totnes, 22" internal diameter, mounted on wooden shield. Text states that 15" [internal diameter] was used on the flat and 22" on gradients (presumably after Newton Abbott).
Totem, aluminium, British Rail (London Midland Railway), Leeds City, Dimensions: overall: 460 mm x 1217 mm x 15 mm.
Bridge plate, Great Northern Railway, GNR 19, cast iron, oval, white on black.
Notice, enamel, Kent & East Sussex Railway, 'Public Notice not to trespass', black letters on white background
Metal sign, North Eastern Railway, 'Trespassers will be prosecuted'. White on black with white border.
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.
Trackside sign, Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, cast iron, conductor rail warning and trespass, from a level crossing north of Tottingham Viaduct (grid ref SD778 138) on the Bury-Holcombe Brook branch.
Cast iron notice, Rhymney Railway, Notice regarding trespassing, in both English & Welsh, white letters on black background.
Cast iron notice, North Eastern Railway, public warning not to trespass, white letters on black background.
1901
Cast iron sign, South Eastern & Chatham Railway, Warning. Trespassing. 1901. C. Sheath.
Cast iron sign, LNW & LYR, Notice regarding mechanically driven capstans, white letters on black background
1745-1755
Section of track, section of track consisting of 2 wooden rails and 2 wooden sleepers from Groverake coal mine near Blanchland, Co Durham, c1750, 18'' narrow gauge.
Enamel notice, London, Brighton & South Coast Railway, Propping up of wagon doors for support of coal weighing machines ... .
Notice - Midland Railway trespass notice, June 1899, white letters on red/brown background.
