What real life railway items do you own?

Tank · April 18, 2011, 09:04:51 PM

I was looking at some of the things I own yesterday, when I thought to myself "I wonder what the others on the forum have?"

So, what railway items and memorabilia have you got?

Photo's would be good.

Lawrence · April 18, 2011, 09:13:27 PM

I have 6 wooden sleepers which form the upper tier of my sloping back garden $:-\$

OwL · April 18, 2011, 10:05:56 PM

A small EWS railways TMD direction sign that i picked up at the Great Central Railway's Swap Meet. (£5.50). Nothing special, but means much to me.

Photo to follow soon............

Claude Dreyfus · April 18, 2011, 10:41:00 PM

A few years ago I obtained a Main Line 'rolling wheels' transfer at an Old Oak Common open day. Sadly the damp got to it, and this little bit of railway history was so badly damaged that the bin was the only realistic destination for it.

Somewhere I also have a 1906 ex-GWR rail chair...a useful - albeit rather heavy - door stop.

longbridge · April 18, 2011, 10:46:12 PM

Three real life items here, one A glass off the Eurostar train, two a Menu of the same train and third a 2010 Medallion from Queensland Railways 145 Years of Service, nothing exciting though.

Vulcan · April 18, 2011, 11:23:25 PM

At home in Bradford we have a railway bench from Layburn station, various lever clips from various signalboxes and I have an overhead warning plaque stuck up on my wall. Also, becuase my dad has had a fair bit to do with driving lorries for the Ffestiniog we have had various interesting things parked outside on the drive including Palmerston and Moelwyn. We have also had various smaller 2' gauge things on the trailer outside. the latest was a WW1 10hp Baguley and in the past a Greenbat electric loco, a Lister Autotruck, a WHR slate wagon and a couple of V skips.

Beat that!

Mustermark · April 19, 2011, 02:01:10 AM

As far as BR goes, just an old (steam era) BRITISH RAILWAYS sign and a (1990s) LADIES toilets sign.

I don't know if it counts, but I have a few London Underground signs and maps. Charing Cross and Elephant & Castle station fresco name signs. Northern line and Circle line maps form over the doors of tube trains.

They used to all decorate my home before I moved in with my wife. They don't match her decor, apparently. They are now confined to my den where my layout is.

I have a whole bunch of NASA space stuff too, but that's a different and far more geeky forum...

tadpole · April 19, 2011, 11:23:05 AM

I have a couple of "pandrol" rail clips, but strangely have not seen them since we last moved house. $:-\$

Shiney Sheff · April 20, 2011, 07:36:09 PM

I have an LNER steam loco head lamp along with a tail lamp and 3 aspect signal hand lamp all in working order

Oh I also have a LMS station lamp from Gringelford station

Vulcan · April 20, 2011, 09:15:22 PM

We also used to have a signalbox block bell in use as a doorbell, but it never worked properly.

haeckmaen · April 20, 2011, 09:40:43 PM

When studying in north eastern Germany I had my entire flat stuck with original signs (e.g. semaphore parts) which just had to be rescued from scrapping. This was due a major overhaul of many routes in Rostock Region at that time. However, when moving back west I had to clear out the largest items.

I'm now well concentring on destination plates and maps which are placed in my home throughout, well accepted by my girlfriend, since the only "tiled" wall in the kitchen is made of destination plates. I have a favourite destination on that 1967 original station timetable from my hometown Gelsenkirchen: a direct link from Cologne via Yugoslavia and Athenes to Istanbul, including a through carriage to Teheran, a four day travel.

Finally, I got an amount of DB Netz / Deutsche Bahn Network Rail maps showing the network suitable for goods traffic. Those are quite large (approx. 1x1,5m) and could be ordered free in the late ninetees, so if anyone interested I'd give away two or three of them for a small p&p donation.

Matthias

moogle · April 21, 2011, 01:37:38 PM

Well, I used to own an LMS coffee cup but it got broken whilst moving a few years ago.

I also had a pair of 'Southern' enameled signs. But I've no idea where they disappeared to!

I do however own a pen keyring from the area that these:

ran on:

I also have a topographical railway item, a map in other words, from the late 1950's of the British Railways network:

It has the Scottish network on the reverse:

Thats the total of my collection!

Adam1701D · April 21, 2011, 04:03:23 PM

Got quite a few odds and ends, some courtesy of the wonderful Collectors Corner near Euston in BR days. Favourites are a sliding engine-room window from a Class 55 and a BR Corporate era sign for Alexandra Palace. More recently, I was lucky enough to be able to purchase a GNER cast coach crest when the franchise went to NX.

porkie · April 21, 2011, 10:02:13 PM

i use to have a piston out of an HST. Which i picked up at crewe works openday.

Geoff · April 25, 2011, 06:07:39 PM

I have got hold of a book called British Railway Track, Design, Construction and Maintenance and wow its blowing my head away, its full of formula for creating switches, curves etc, I got hold of it when the wifes father passed away many years back, anything to do with rail track and its in there, this book is dated 1947 and the first edition was 1943.