GWR Smoking/No Smoking signs

[JackBlack]

I was wondering if anyone knew the correct colours used in GWR "Smoking" and "No Smoking" signs that went on pre-war coach and trailer windows, as seen in the image snippet below:

autotrailer007.jpg

#1 is Smoking and #2 is triangular and is No Smoking. I want to get some decals made. Any info/advice much appreciated!

Thanks, Nick

[johnWM]

See - MRJ issue 88 page 179.
There is an article on upgrading the Slaters clerestory kits by Trevor Pott. He talks about a mate printing the "no smoking" and "smoking" signs for him. Unfortunately in the article he does not mention the colours. The photos of the completed 4mm scale model clearly shows the signs fitted, and look very good, so he must know what colour they are. MRJ might forward a letter for you. or as Kingswear is in EM, perhaps you could get in contact via the EM gauge society.

I have half a memory of some information on these signs in an issue of GW journal. If someone has done an index it might be traceable.

On the other hand a phonecall to Didcot Museum might solve the problem, they have an archive of all sorts of tiny details.

Good Luck

[JackBlack]

Thanks for the reply John. Someone from RMweb believes that CPL did a sheet of these certainly in 7mm, maybe in 4mm and is checking this out at Telford on the 7th, so hopefully that will turn up what I need! Failing that I'll start following your leads, Didcot sounds like a good start.

Thanks, Nick

[Dave K]

Nick,

I thought that this question had came up before on GWR elist. It was posed by John Lewis with a reply from Trevor Potts

Re: GWR "Smoking" notices.

John,

They were all etched but the lettering I have seen in grey, or etched glass colour, and the same style of lettering in white and a light blue. All I have seen on preserved older vintage stock.

In gwr-elist@yahoogroups.com, wrote:
> I understand GWR "Smoking" carriage notices come in three types: grey, white or blue.
>Are the grey type (RCA1, Fig 454, perhaps) etched on the glass, while the white ones, eg RCA1 Fig 386, were labels, stuck
> on the glass. What were the blue ones?
> Any information would be very welcome.
>
> John
> -- John Lewis, jlewis@... on 27/11/2006

I hope this helps.

[martin goodall]

Very late to be replying to this, but I have only just started reading into previous posts.

My understanding is that on the GWR the "No Smoking" triangles were red lettering and red border on a white background (i.e. the opposite to the BR version).

Some (but not all) of the GWR "SMOKING" signs seem to have been white lettering on a blue background (1930s?) but as mentioned previously, there were also some (earlier?) ones with clear lettering on a white/translucent background.

CPL used to do some "SMOKING" transfers (the blue variety, for which I believe Martin Needham may have done the artwork), but I am not sure of current availabilty. Earlier some of the "clear lettering on white" "SMOKING" signs were supplied by a firm called 'Gingingini' (or was it 'Jinjinjini'?). Again I have no idea of current availability.

I don't recall anyone having done transfers/decals for the 'red on white' "NO SMOKING" triangles.

MARTIN GOODALL

[BryanJohnson]

Also a late response, but hopefully still useful.

1) The photo is of a Hawksworth coach on the Severn Valley which confirms that the coach restorers there agree with the earlier posting on the No Smoking triangle colours.

GWR No Smoking.jpg

2) The methfix transfer sheets I have bought from the HMRS for both British Railways and LMS coaches have included No Smoking and First Class window signs.

Bryan Johnson