GCRA to experiment with locomotive nameplate

NAMEPLATES from two 20th century eras of locomotive building will headline Great Central’s fourth 200-lot live online auction on May 15. They are Henry Cort from George Whale’s LNWR Experiment class and Draycott Manor from the GWR.

The LNWR representative comes from No. 1413, which was outshopped by Crewe Works in April 1909 and was due to be renumbered 5515 by the LMS, but never carried its new identity due to its withdrawal in September 1925 – making it one of the first in the 105-strong class to be taken out of service. The last to be withdrawn, No. 5473 Scottish Chief, was withdrawn in September 1935, by which time it was numbered 25473 and so outlived No. 5515 by 10 years.

Henry Cort (1740-1800) was a castiron production innovator who, 50 years after his death, was lauded by The Times as ‘the father of the iron trade.’The Henry Cort Community College in Fareham, Hampshire, bears his name in recognition of his association with the town’s industrial past.

The GWR Manor nameplate is from No. 7810, a December 1938 Swindon product that became a ‘Cambrian Coast Express’ regular before being withdrawn from Machynlleth (6F) in September 1964.

Making its auction debut is Southern Railway target sign Tipton St Johns, from a station on the Sidmouth Junction to Sidmouth branch opened by the Sidmouth Railway in July 1874 as Tipton, renamed in February 1881, and closed by BR in May 1967. The station was never provided with totems, and this target is the first to appear at auction from there. In addition to being live online, the auction will include bidding by email, telephone and commission.