1948-era Totems on current network

[Sun Chariot]

There is still a sign at Hanwell. Here’s a photo of it with a Liz Line service in the background. It appears to have been refurbished.
View attachment 162443

Oh yes - when I used to pass it, early 2000s, it was a peeling chocolate and cream.

 

[Blockman]

Since the upgrading of Dore & Totley station for the re-doubling of the Dore curve, the station has been provided with reproduction totems. See: https://unltdbusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Dore-canopy-scaled.jpg

The interesting thing is the colour - London Midland region maroon. The station was originally in the London Midland region, but is not know to have had totems until it was transferred to the Eastern Region in 1958, when Eastern Region dark blue totems were provided. (source: British Railways Station Totems - The Complete Guide By Dave Brennan & Richard Furness)

 

[Mr. SW]

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It just happens to be next to the Great Central Railway. So they use a totem...

 

[Last Hurrah]

There is a Totem at Llanishen station at the rear of the former station building on the downward slope to the Caerphilly, Rhymney platform advising no parking as part of the building appears to be someone’s dwelling

 

[Nodding Cat Ch]

On the old platform, opposite the one for the Wirral.

Also all the stations on the Sudbury line have them.

 

[FGW_DID]

Hanborough on the Cotswolds Line.

’Recently’ Reading had large “Reading General” totem stickers applied to mark one of its Anniversaries.

I thought I had a photo of the Reading Totem but I didn’t so as I was passing through yesterday I rectified that:

 

[kkong]

What a great surviver,possibly unique!

There is this sign just off The Square in Huntly.

 

[Sun Chariot]

There is this sign just off The Square in Huntly.

View attachment 162825

Fantastic. How has that not been pinched...

 

[Ashley Hill]

There is this sign just off The Square in Huntly.

View attachment 162825

That’s nice. Great to see these old things still around.
There was an ER one at Lincoln until the 1990s.

 

[MadMac]

Sandbach has an original running-in board (now in the wrong place as it’s mid-platform)

I wonder if any original 1950s enamel direction signs to stations still survive. As street furniture they will have been subject to different “corporate image whims” (in the way that Edinburgh trams still displayed “Caledonian Station Leith as an destination until the demise of the system in 1956) and were probably more likely to have got forgotten.

There was some discussion on these a while back, and there was still one in, I think, Huntly at the time.

 

[RobertsN]

Stratford-upon-Avon has something along these lines (though strictly speaking not of 1948 vintage):


Source:

New signage at Stratford Upon Avon station - 1 day old! They were erected the previous day Stock Photo - Alamy

Download this stock image: New signage at Stratford Upon Avon station - 1 day old! They were erected the previous day. - 2EGK1ED from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors.

www.alamy.com

 

[Sun Chariot]

That’s nice. Great to see these old things still around.
There was an ER one at Lincoln until the 1990s.
View attachment 162826

Thanks @Ashley Hill you've answered the question I posed in post #16. Shame it has gone.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Chathill has several old-fashioned nameboards. Not all of the "totem" shape sought by the OP.

Recall hearing that there was also an "Ilkley" totem at Chathill, but a quick and far from exhaustive search hasn't shown anything.

Brockholes has some older-style signage on the disused platform which is now a private residence.

 

[MadMac]

There is this sign just off The Square in Huntly.

View attachment 162825

I am reliably advised that it was still there as of a couple of weeks ago!

 

[Ribbleman]

Not on the station but just across the road at Freshfield is a micro pub, BEER STATION, that makes use of the totem shape and font both outside and within. I know one of the owners but I think that I will be barred if I tell him again that he should have used London Midland maroon as the background colour.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Not on the station but just across the road at Freshfield is a micro pub, BEER STATION, that makes use of the totem shape and font both outside and within. I know one of the owners but I think that I will be barred if I tell him again that he should have used London Midland maroon as the background colour.

I am reliably informed that the SR's well known "Withered arm" routes into north Devon, was trumped by its "Triffid's tendril" line into the Southport area.

 

[TheSel]

Does this one count? The outside of Ormskirk station. [pic below].

 

[Birkonian]

Spital Station in Wirral has a rusted but presumably salvaged, original totem positioned over the booking counter. I'll take a photo next time I'm there.

 

[Deepgreen]

Not on the platform but there's a totem indicating the way to the station in Ware.
View attachment 162239

Wonderful - an amazing survivor! In contrast, Reigate has this reversed double-arrow!

I'd be willing to bet that there are no original totem signs left anywhere that have not been removed and reinstated for 'heritage' reasons.

Stratford-upon-Avon has something along these lines (though strictly speaking not of 1948 vintage):

View attachment 162830
Source:

New signage at Stratford Upon Avon station - 1 day old! They were erected the previous day Stock Photo - Alamy

Download this stock image: New signage at Stratford Upon Avon station - 1 day old! They were erected the previous day. - 2EGK1ED from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors.

www.alamy.com

Very far indeed from strictly speaking!

 

[Ashley Hill]

Spital Station in Wirral has a rusted but presumably salvaged, original totem positioned over the booking counter. I'll take a photo next time I'm there.

Please do,I’d like to see that.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Edale has the Original station sign in the cafe/shop
(Photo taken June 2022, can't confirm if it's still there)

And a newer one on the platform

 

[Ashley Hill]

Nice to see the original Edale totem. Ex station condition.

 

[WightMark]

Right you wonderful eagle-eyed lot: this is the current state of the research thanks in great part to your most excellent observations.

Just over 50 Network Rail stations are sporting totems on (or near) platforms. Plus just over 30 others are blessed with beautiful artworks by Lionel Stanhope very close by (often on under bridges). Lionel has also made a dozen more murals inspired by the Gill Sans lettering (but not in totem shapes).

So almost 100 locations where exposure to designs that are over 60 years old are still very much seen by today's rail passengers.

The upshot is: not only is the the 1948 totem shape devised by A.J. White sought after by sign collectors, it is very much to the fore in 2024!

(If you have any suggestions of others I've missed, always happy to update this spreadsheet. I recall one in York for instance but wasn't able to find it last time I was there.)

* I'm also compiling stats for Heritage Railways and use by our Railway Modelling friends (if anyone is interested, I'm happy to pass on those findings also).

 

[Ashley Hill]

The Liverpool James Street is interesting as that station never had proper totems. It had a circular design with James Street in the middle. Here’s a picture of one.
Photo GWRA.

 

[WightMark]

The Liverpool James Street is interesting as that station never had proper totems. It had a circular design with James Street in the middle. Here’s a picture of one.
View attachment 163170Photo GWRA.

Yes Ashley and I believe I've seen a circular one for Hamilton Square too. LMR seemed to play a bit fast and loose with the guidelines - more than the other regions - they also had some oblong station name boards around the East Midlands and of course the infamous and lovely lowercase Besses'o'th'Barn

 

[I'm here now]

There is also some at Perranwell, unsure if new/old. They look in good condition though.

 

[Ashley Hill]

There is also some at Perranwell, unsure if new/old. They look in good condition though.

New.

 

[BeijingDave]

Helsby has a load attached to the signal box between Platforms 2 and 3. I think they are original (why would you make a stack of replicas and attach them?) but I haven't got off to inspect them closely.

 

[Nodding Cat Ch]

I love Totems

The Liverpool James Street is interesting as that station never had proper totems. It had a circular design with James Street in the middle. Here’s a picture of one.
View attachment 163170Photo GWRA.

There's a mega totem on the disused platform.

 

[TheSel]

View attachment 163225
I love Totems


There's a mega totem on the disused platform.

Yes, this one. [all my pics below]



... and there's also these two:





... although I'm not convinced the latter pair are original.