Railwayana

Railwayana with London Transport

Our Railwayana with London Transport sale is on track to illustrate a period of time in the travel industry, through historical artifacts related to the rail and bus industries.

Many of the lots in the sale exhibit local history, and crucially depict and preserve important moments that shaped East Anglian travel during the 19th and 20th Centuries. One such lot is a framed and glazed Great Eastern Railway large-scale track plan of the former Norwich Victoria Railway Station, dated 1903. Victoria Station was opened for the conveyance of passengers, goods and livestock in 1849 under the management of Eastern Union Railway, which was announced in the following statement:

The Public are respectfully informed that this Line of Railway will be opened throughout to the Victoria Station, Norwich, for the conveyance of passengers, goods, and livestock on Wednesday, the 12th instant. Particulars of Trains, Fares, Rates, &c., may be obtained on and after Monday, the 10th instant, at all the Company’s Stations. J F Saunders, Secretary, Ipswich, Dec. 5th, 1849.

The station remained running for these services until 1916 when it was closed to passengers, but remained open for goods until 1966 before the line was ultimately shut down in 1986. At one point there were three railway stations in Norwich in operation. As well as the Victoria Station, Norwich was home to Norwich City station and Norwich Thorpe, of which is the only remaining station in use, now known simply as ‘Norwich’.

Another source of local interest is a mixed lot containing items related to Flordon Railway Station in South Norfolk. The lot includes The Railway and Commercial Gazetteer Nineteenth Edition, tickets for nearby stations, a badge and M&GN waistcoat button, and the last ticket issued from the station to Forncett, issued before the station closed in 1966. For anyone seeking to preserve a piece of their childhood, a fibreglass headboard in the style of Thomas the Tank Engine also makes a quirky lot. The headboard was made to fit a narrow gauge engine, but holds plenty of potential for other decorative uses.

If bus travel is more to your taste, this sale also features a range of items related to the London bus system. Such lots include London Transport bus destination blinds, some featuring as many as 52 destinations. Situated at the front and back of the bus, the blinds were rolled up and would be wound on to the next destination after every stop on the route, the changing of which was the responsibility of the driver. Amongst other items, the sale is also to feature vintage London bus driver’s jumpers, conductor’s hats and a quantity of London Transport timetables covering various regions and years.

Viewing takes place Wednesday 10th July from 9am - 3pm and Thursday 11th July 12 noon - 5pm before the sale. Please contact Dan Woods for further information.

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