Paperchase has it all mapped out

THREE maps and plans produced by the GWR in the late-19th and early20th centuries were the hits in the Paperchase quarterly auction of railway paperwork and collectables that ran from April 14-May 4.

Dating from 1884, 1914 and 1928, they sold for £510 each, with the oldest being a Railway Clearing House style of map of England and Wales from the Humber downwards produced for the 1884 Parliamentary session with an attached list of bills for that year.

From 1914 came a detailed coloured survey plan of the line from Reading West station to Reading Central goods depot contained in a gold-titled cover, and from 1928 a three-part plan of Barry docks also in a gold-titled cover.

Behind this trio came another £510 realisation, for 80 black-andwhite negatives of Scottish steam in 1956/57, followed by 140 b/w negatives of German and Austrian steam in the mid-1960s at £430 and a similar lot comprising French steam (£360).

A bid of £360 also secured a 300page bound volume of the minutes of meetings held by the LMS & GWR Joint Committee between 1933-35. Prices exclude buyer's premium of 12½%.

The auction comprised 650 lots, for which bids were accepted by email, telephone or post. It was the third sale held by Brian Moakes since he relaunched Paperchase last November with more emphasis on the internet to reflect current trends.