Trowbridge totem anyone?

[whole diary]

[grahame]

https://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/17450980.historic-railway-sign-found-in-dorset-attic/?ref=rss

AN old enamel Trowbridge railway station sign has been discovered in an attic and has been estimated to sell for around £1000 at auction.

The sign was discovered in a Dorset cottage after the owner passed away.

It is understood from the family that most items in the attic were put there when their father came back from active service in Burma in 1949.

Quite how he came to own this piece of railway history is not known, just like the family had no idea of its existence until it was recently unearthed.

Measuring 91.5 cm wide, the enamel sign is painted in GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) colours and would have been attached to a station wall

Charterhouse owner Richard Bromell said: "Attics are a traditional hunting ground for auctioneers. If you roll your sleeves up and are prepared to get dirty, you can find the occasional gems.”

The sign will go under the hammer in the Charterhouse on Thursday 14 and Friday 15 March in Sherborne.

Trowbridge totems are category "B" at  http://www.railwayana.net/rarity/totems/totemrarityguide.htm - "Totems known to exist, although they could prove quite elusive."

[RichardB]

Great stuff, Graham.  I've just shared this with the Railwayana Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/145544682224716/ .  I'm certain there is a huge amount of railwayana just sat in sheds and attics - especially enamel signs that people got at the time when they were being taken down and before they became valuable.

[SandTEngineer]

Yes, some useful bits of historic signalling equipment in there as well, that are useful for preserved railways.

[RichardB]

Great stuff, Graham.  I've just shared this with the Railwayana Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/145544682224716/ .  I'm certain there is a huge amount of railwayana just sat in sheds and attics - especially enamel signs that people got at the time when they were being taken down and before they became valuable.

Just a PS to my earlier post.  There is a large railwayana auction tomorrow at Bloxham, near Banbury.  Here is the catalogue http://www.gcrauctions.com/sale256B/index.php .  Someone has kindly posted a load of photos of the lots in the Railwayana Facebook group.  Another indication of just how much stuff is out there.  I'm wishing I lived a bit nearer!