Railway transfer maker Tearne finally closes its doors after 165 years

TEARNE Transfer & Digital Print Ltd, the firm that supplied British Railways with its steam-era crests and cabside numbers, has closed down after

165 years.

Founded in 1856 as Tearne & Sons, the Birmingham-based firm started out by producing cycle transfers but quickly became a major supplier to railway companies around the world, including East Africa and Nigeria.

In Britain, it supplied London Underground with transfers, and BR with the `lion and wheel' crests, cabside numbers and power classifications for steam locomotives, as well as crests for `Big Four' and pre-Grouping companies.

It closed down at the end of September as directors Christopher and Pat Hall retired, but some of its artwork and a limited stock of transfers are still available to preservationists.

These include BR early and late emblems, and 8-inch and 10-inch cabside numbers (though not all from 0 to 9), crests for Pullman stock, and for companies including the LNER, LMS, GWR, London & North Western, Lancashire & Yorkshire, Midland and South Eastern & Chatham railways.

As the firm's premises were being cleared in late September, Pat told Heritage Railway: “We are very sad to be closing after 165 years, but my husband and I are finally retiring and unfortunately no one has been interested in buying the business.

“As far as the artwork is concerned, we have a customer who is a trustee of the National Railway Museum and he has told them about it, but we haven't heard anything from them.

“The Severn Valley has had some, but there's a lot left.”

Anyone interested in buying transfers or artwork can contact Pat at tearne@btconnect.com

GEOFF SILCOCK Signwriter John Dickenson removes the final tissue paper from the Tearne's BR cabside number transfers on Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Class 27 0-6-0 No. 52322 at Carnforth in early 1995.

One of Tearne Transfers' genuine BR late crests which was delivered in October. TOBY JENNINGS

TOBY JENNINGS Three ‘Peaks' challenge: A mighty combined 5760 horsepower approaches Wansford station on the evening of October 10 as the Nene Valley Railway's diesel gala comes to a spectacular conclusion with triple-headed ‘Peaks' of all three classes. Leading is Class 44 No. D4 Great Gable, followed by Class 45 No. 45041 Royal Tank Regiment and Class 46 No. D182.