SMJR Station Running In Name Boards

[Dick Bodily]

Recently joined Rob Davidson asked me a question ' Did any of the SMJR stations receive BR style 'hotdog' totems?' My answer was I'm pretty sure the answer is  'No'. But this got me thinking about running in boards and station naming in general. I've looked at all the relevent photos I can find and this is my conclusion.... but I await other people's replies to add more detail.

The E&WJR and SMJR provided stations with long rectangular running in boards a bit like large versions of SMJR line signalbox name boards. The backgrounds were darkly painted (black?) and the plain capital lettering was light ( white?) in colour to match the raised wooden boarders. The SMJR reversed the colour scheme at some stations. Some of these running in boards remained in place up to the fifties and were probably painted in LMR maroon and white.

The LMS erected squarer in shape 'Hawkseye' type boards at several stations perhaps at all of them inc. definitely Towcester, Blakesley, Wappenham, Helmdon, Farthinghoe, Banbury Merton Street, Fenny Compton, Kineton, Ettington and Stratford Old Town. These LMS boards were usually white in colour with maroon lettering and lining. In BR days several were repainted the opposite way around with white lettering and lining on a maroon background, some had just the central portion painted maroon, which makes me suggest that such repainting was probably carried out by station staff who perhaps received vague instruction. Some had the central section in a yellowish colour.  At some stations these new boards supplemented rather than replaced the older ones. Some photos of Towcester show both types in place at the same time. It's possible that some stations previously only had running in boards on one platform, I've yet to see a picture of Blakesley with any sort of board on the down platform or of Byfield with any on the up platform.  I think that all these various boards were taken down at the closure of passenger services which means that N&BR stations kept theirs until complete closure but E&WJR ones lost them in the 50s.

'Hawkseye' LMS board at Wappenham on the last day of services

 

Blakesley station had several lantern oil lamps which had the station name in small black letters on a yellow background on the glass front. Morton Pinkney had at least one. Did other stations?

 

I await your info.....in particular which boards were at Blisworth, I've yet to find a picture showing any.

 

 

Dick

[Barry Taylor]

Hi Dick

I can confirm that there were also hawkseye boards at M Pinkney (included "for Sulgrave") and Binton.

Bidford only appears to have had the wooden type.

I also cannot find anything at Blisworth at any time, although I'm sure that they must have had something way back in the NBJR days.

Also I have photo evidence of hawkseye boards on the down side at Blakesley (just east of the station building, and in the up side at Byfield (just east again)

[Dick Bodily]

Cheers Barry,

I might put a page together on the subject if we get more replies.  I'd be interested to see the Blakesley down side picture as I thought I'd seen all the available pix of the station.

Dick

[Barry Taylor]

Hi Dock

Just loading up a pic of Blakesley in the photos section showing the 'hawkseye' nameboard on the down side. This is a enlargement of part of an LGRP photo dated 1951