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.
1855
Bronze bust of Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Deputy Chairman William Stuart, by Edward Davis, 1855. The bust was mounted on Great Howard Street bridge in Liverpool.
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.
1842
Keystone from a decorative arch at South Stockton station on the Stockton & Darlington Railway, about 1842. The face of the stone depicts the head of an old, bearded man surrounded by vines and ivy, probably a Green Man or perhaps the Greek and Roman god Dionysus/Bacchus. On the reverse of the stone are bunches of grapes and vine leaves.
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.
Footbridge; North Eastern Railway; Cast Iron; ex Percy Main station
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.
1930-1960
A City of York Council sign for 'Railway Street', removed when it was renamed 'George Hudson Street' in 1971.
circa 1821-1825
Stockton & Darlington Railway boundary stone dating from about 1821 to 1825. Dressed stone inscribed "S & D R" in Roman letters.
1838
Station Gates, London & Birmingham Railway. Gates from 'Doric Arch' of Euston Station. Heavy wrought iron with ornamental locks bearing L & BR crest.
1897
Tiled mural, North Staffordshire Railway, tiled mural depicting Bridge Inn at Hanley, NSR loop line train 1897, blue tiles with brown border.
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.
1985-1988
11 plaques, cast aluminium, duplicates of examples mounted on ECML overhead electrification masts, each commemorating milestones in the ECML electrification project, 1985-1988, on wooden panel, 1625mm x 810mm.
Ornamental carving, Taff Vale & Barry Jt Rly, oak carving of eagle attacking a young deer, from Pontypridd Station Refreshment Rooms.
Stained glass panel, Manchester Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway, ex Gorton Works boardroom, Manchester, 1895, illustrating the coats-of-arms of Southport.
Stained glass panel, Manchester Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway, ex Gorton Works boardroom, Manchester, 1895, illustrating the coats-of-arms of Loughborough.
Gate post plaque, Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, cast iron plaque mounted on wood, from gate post of Exchange Station, Liverpool, L & YR picked out in gold on black background, mounted on wood. Overall: 620 mm x 307 mm x 45 mm.
1865
Bridge plaque, London Brighton & South Coast Railway, cast iron, 1865, bearing crest of LB&SCR, Queenstown Road Bridge, Battersea, London. Diameter: x 45 in ( x 1143 mm).
Stained glass panel, leaded, from North Staffordshire Railway offices, Stoke-on-Trent, 3ft x 2ft, illustrating North Staffordshire Railway locomotive 4-4-2T No 8, restored and re-framed in 1995.
1852
Bridge link, Great Western Railway, from Chepstow suspension bridge over the River Wye, wrought iron, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, built 1852, rebuilt 1962.
Notice, wooden, "ENGINE ASHES ONLY", black on white.
Gable, wooden, from Brandling Junction Railway station offices, Felling-on-Tyne, 1842.
Notice, wooden, "Passengers must not cross the line except by road", white on red.
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.
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.
1835-1984
Wall plaque, Works Managers, Shildon 1835-1984.
circa 1904-1914
Stained glass window, Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, ex Manchester Victoria Station, by George Wragge, 'The Crafts', London & Manchester, c. 1909, depicting arms of York and white rose, with vignette of Hughes 4-6-0 No. 1510, built Horwich 1906, superheated in 1921 and withdrawn in 1935. 75 x 50 in.
Sign, enamel, London Midland & Scottish Railway, "LMS CAR PARK", yellow arrow with blue lettering.
Enamel sign, British Railways (North Eastern Region), Ladies Room, deep red letters on cream background, totem shape
Stained glass panel, leaded, from North Staffordshire Railway offices, Stoke-on-Trent, 3ft x 2ft, illustrating a canal boat, restored and re-framed in 1995.
Signal box nameboard, Masons Arms Crossing.
Enamel sign, North Eastern Railway, GENTLEMEN, cream letters on brown ground.
1895
Notice, enamel, Dinorwic Quarries Railway, Rules Regulations & Conditions, 1895, in English and Welsh.
Ball bearing, London & North Western Railway, brass expansion bearing in housing, from Britannia Tubular Bridge, in perspex case.
Ornamental casting, Midland Railway, ornamental cast iron Wyvern from spandrel, no provenance.
Stained glass panel, leaded, from North Staffordshire Railway offices, Stoke-on-Trent, 3ft x 2ft, illustrating coat-of-arms of North Staffordshire Railway [arms of Stafford], restored and re-framed in 1995.
1904-1914
Stained glass window, Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, ex Manchester Victoria Station, by George Wragge, 'The Crafts', London & Manchester, c. 1909, depicting arms Lancaster and red rose with vignette of TS Irwell (1040 tons) built by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson in 1906 for the Goole-Rotterdam service, broken up in 1954. 75 x 50 in.
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.
1875
Bridge notice, Midland Railway, signed James Williams, 1875, white letters on red
Signal box nameboard, Widenhaugh East, Dimensions: 79"x12"
Notice, Southern Railway, Great Western Railway, (SR Private Road): GWR Trespass.
Metal sign, North Eastern Railway, 'Trespassers will be prosecuted'. White on black with white border.
Notice, metal, British Railways, "Notice. The Removal and Fixing of Driving belts .....".
1900
Trackside sign, cast iron, Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, Public Notice, 'All persons are warned not to trespass', white on black, c1900.
Notice, enamel, Kent & East Sussex Railway, 'Public Notice not to trespass', black letters on white background
Cast iron sign, Hull, Barnsley & West Riding Junction Railway & Dock Co., Public warning regarding trespass signed G. Scaum, Secretary, white letters on black background.
Cast iron sign on metal post, Stainmore Summit. Height 1370 feet.
1867
Notice, wooden, Newhaven Harbour Co., Byelaws relating to the new bridge at Newhaven, 1867.
