GWR Station Signs

[gwrrob]

Does anyone have a link to a photo shewing how signs were hung from under the canopy on GWR stations.

 

This one on ebay is for use on a post judging by the two holes in the middle but how were the hanging type fastened.They are quite weighty.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GWR-CROSS-BY-BRIDGE-CAST-IRON-SIGN-ORIGINAL-/300866585613?pt=UK_Collectables_Railwayana_RL&hash=item460d0bc40d

[Mikkel]

Hi Robin. This one is into the 1950s but still GWR signs and I doubt they would have been changed since your 1946-48 period?

 

http://warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrt295a.htm

[gwrrob]

Hi Robin. This one is into the 1950s but still GWR signs and I doubt they would have been changed since your 1946-48 period?

 

http://warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrt295a.htm

 

Thanks Mikkel.I never thought to look on that excellent site and I was talking to its owner only a few weeks ago.

 

Further perusal of that website finds a refreshments sign held up by chains.

 

http://warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrls2132.htm

[Mikkel]

It is indeed a fantastic site, and growing all the time too.

 

That photo is also interesting for another reason: It illustrates the huge effect light and shadow has on how livery colours appear in photos. In this case we are not fooled because the direct sun on the canopy supports is obvious - but in many other cases it is much harder to tell, and so we may easily be fooled. Anyway, that was off-topic!

[Miss Prism]

That photo is also interesting for another reason: It illustrates the huge effect light and shadow has on how livery colours appear in photos.

Alarming, isn't it!

[buffalo]

Robin,

 

I may have misunderstood your question and you may already be aware of this. The cast signs were normally screwed or bolted to something very solid such as rail or wooden posts, doors or walls. Most other signs, especially the suspended ones, were made using cast iron letters on a wooden board with moulded surround, so were much lighter. There were many standard signs available from the stores as well as metal letters/digits in a range of sizes from 1" to 12" high. There's much information about these in Vaughan's GW Architecture and in Great Western Way.

 

Nick

 

ps. the refreshments sign looks rather unusual, I wonder if it is illuminated.

[gwrrob]

Robin,

 

I may have misunderstood your question and you may already be aware of this. The cast signs were normally screwed or bolted to something very solid such as rail or wooden posts, doors or walls. Most other signs, especially the suspended ones, were made using cast iron letters on a wooden board with moulded surround, so were much lighter. There were many standard signs available from the stores as well as metal letters/digits in a range of sizes from 1" to 12" high. There's much information about these in Vaughan's GW Architecture and in Great Western Way.

 

Nick

 

ps. the refreshments sign looks rather unusual, I wonder if it is illuminated.

 

Ah right.I thought the boards were standard like everything else GWR, The one on ebay is/was bolted to a post.The one I want to model is much lighter then.I'm going to use this etch.  http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/classifieds/item/427-51l-gwr-station-signs-4mm-scale/

 

I don't have either of those books you mention Nick.

[buffalo]

...I'm going to use this etch.  http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/classifieds/item/427-51l-gwr-station-signs-4mm-scale/

Those all look like standard cast signs to me. Wooden equivalents with the added metal letters were quite common. With the "Passengers are requested..." type, the wooden ones came in a wide range of sizes, but usually had the same arrangement of two sizes of lettering. I'll send you a PM.

 

Nick

[Miss Prism]

http://a-parttoys.com/index.php/tiny-signs-gwr-station-signs.html

http://www.anticsonline.co.uk/l.aspx?k=105527792

http://shop.cooper-craft.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=56&products_id=580

[The Stationmaster]

Some of them were fixed in different ways Rob.  Ths signs for things like 'Waiting Room', 'Parcels' etc of the sort described by Nick were also quite commonly fixed to the walls of the buildings using a couple of mild steel flat strip in an 'L' shape (or possibly even a cast L shape bracket).  If you want dimensions for the brackets - should you decide to go that way I'll have to find my sign that is lurking in one of the sheds and measure them as it is exactly as it came off a wall.

[gwrrob]

Further perusal of the net has found these etched ones from Smiths available from Scalelink.Are they correct for my use ?

 

http://www.scalelink.co.uk/acatalog/Smiths_Components_for__OO__.html

 

 

Mike.Its the hanging type so a wall fixing is not needed.

[Miss Prism]

Rob - well found - I was looking for those, but I could find only the 7mm versions on the Scalelink site.

[gwrrob]

Rob - well found - I was looking for those, but I could find only the 7mm versions on the Scalelink site.

 

Expensive with postage though especially as I only want one part of the etch.Were the footbridge signs double faced ie writing on both sides?

[Miss Prism]

To be honest, I think printing the signs in 4mm is as good as an etch.

 

As for double-facing signs, I guess the answer is probably, depending on content.

[Mikkel]

Rob, I used the latter etch for some signs on the bay. Painting is bit tricky though (see bottom of page on link below) and I would agree with miss P about prints being almost as good.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/blog/75/entry-1351-signs-posters-and-adverts/