Trespasser sign

[alan wilson]

Hello All.
Brought myself a trespasser sign to restore. I have seen in it three colors....
Black on white.
White on black.
White on red.
Not sure which one is correct, which would be the authentic color please?
I have been told white on black.
Thanks.
Alan.

[Tim Roy]

Hi Alan,

From “A History of the Stratford-upon-Avon & Midland Junction Railway” by R C Riley and Bill Simpson, published by Lamplight Publications in 1999:

Page 106: Towcester. The SMJ “Beware of Trains” sign stands out in white paint at the end of the platform protecting the footway across the tracks. Perhaps when the adjacent fence was painted white the sign was painted at the same time?

Page 108: Near Helmdon. The SMJ “Beware of Trains” sign is painted a dark colour (black?) with white letters and a white raised border. However, the bridge plate is painted white with dark letters and a dark raised border.

Neither photograph is dated, but both are in the section "S&MJR as part of the LM&SR".

With regards,

Tim

[Dick Bodily]

I seem to remember that in BR days these signs showed vestiges of white background but were mainly rusty. Stations on the SMJ route and probably other lines too were issued with copious quantities of white paint during the WW2 blackout to be used to paint the platform edges so that they stood out a bit to avoid passengers falling in the dark. Bob Salmons who was a wartime signalman at Blakesley told how the stationmaster there got him to use some of this paint to adorn stones around the edge of the station's flower borders to avoid passengers stepping on his precious blooms in the dark!  As trespass signs stood adjacent to station boarded foot crossings possibly it was at this time that they were painted with white backgrounds, to help passengers safely find such crossings on dark cloudy nights. I've seen restored examples of such signs painted with white letters on black and on red backgrounds as well as black letters on white background, so take your pick as to what they were painted in early earlier SMJ and pre-WW2 LMS days.

[alan wilson]

Thank you. I will do white on black. But I too have seen all three versions,
Alan

[alan wilson]

Thank you Tim.
Will do White on Black.
Alan
Tim Roy said:

Hi Alan,

From “A History of the Stratford-upon-Avon & Midland Junction Railway” by R C Riley and Bill Simpson, published by Lamplight Publications in 1999:

Page 106: Towcester. The SMJ “Beware of Trains” sign stands out in white paint at the end of the platform protecting the footway across the tracks. Perhaps when the adjacent fence was painted white the sign was painted at the same time?

Page 108: Near Helmdon. The SMJ “Beware of Trains” sign is painted a dark colour (black?) with white letters and a white raised border. However, the bridge plate is painted white with dark letters and a dark raised border.

Neither photograph is dated, but both are in the section "S&MJR as part of the LM&SR".

With regards,

Tim