9 January 2009

East Lancashire Train Station Signs
Up for Auction

Stafford - Old East Lancashire railway signs that were bought for 50 pence are set to fetch thousands at an auction.
 
The signs, which date back to the 1950s, include a set of three from Burnley, Burnley Barracks, Burnley Central, and Burnley Manchester Road, which are set to spark huge interest among railway buffs.
 
The signs, owned by a private collector from Cambridgeshire but originally from the Burnley, will all go under the hammer at an auction in Stafford on Saturday.
 
Neil Booth, from Railwayana Auctions UK, which is running the auction, said:  "The three Burnley signs coming up at the same auction is unique and there is going to be a lot of interest in them."
 
"The signs were made in 1948 when British Railways took over and most were taken down in the 1970s."
 
"British Railways were then keen to get rid of them and some were snapped up for as little as 50 pence by collectors. Now they are worth nearly £4,000 each."
 
The Burnley Manchester Road is the rarest of all the signs, having only been auctioned once previously, when it was sold for £3,700 in 2005.
 
Railwayana has printed 2,500 catalogues for the auction, all of which were taken before Christmas, and interest in the auction is expected to be very high.
 
As well as the Burnley signs there is also a Rawtenstall station sign from the old East Lancs Railway. Mr Booth added:  "We have had interest so far from collectors nationally and in the local area, and also from local people who are interested in the history of their town."
 
"People are often passionate about where they come from and generations have lived in the same area, so they can have a real interest in owning something like this."
 
"The signs are also desirable because they are made of real quality enamel and they rarely show any signs of wear or tear."
 
The auction takes place at 10 a.m., at St. Leonards Social Club, St. Leonards Avenue, Stafford.
 
Author unknown.