R.E.V. Gomm railway badges - Western class 52

[Czesziafan]

Many will no doubt remember buying the high quality enamel badges that were once sold at stations as a souvenir of a journey or visit. They are still produced for preservation / heritage societies but the ones in the scan are all early examples sold by BR dating from the 1960's. I make no apology for my bias towards the Western class 52's! What is interesting is that this badge was produced in all 3 main liveries carried by the class - maroon, green, and blue.

Such badges have a long history dating back to before the Second World War when items produced by Millers were sold at station booking offices to raise funds for the railway orphanages. The Gomm product seems to have come on the marked from the late 50's on and they produced a whole series featuring steam and diesel locomotives, historic locos, and crests of the old companies.

They have never found much favour among railwayana collectors andcan stillbepicked up for a pound or two. Cheap nostalgia.

 

[DelW]

I remember having a similar badge of D800 Sir Brian Robertson, which I think was bought for me on a visit to the Science Museum in London. I think it must have been around the time that the loco was new (I'd have been aged six at the time of its introduction). I'm not sure whether it was chosen by me or by an adult member of my family, but either way I've no idea why that loco was chosen as we had no connection with WR diesels.

 

[Ash Bridge]

I too had one of these, in my case a BR Brush Type 4 in two tone green. I'm sure I still have it somewhere, can't remember where I originally obtained it from though. Perhaps an early seventies works open day, Crewe maybe?

 

[Czesziafan]

I didn't know the Science Museum sold them but Clapham and Swindon definitely did. D800 was of course the prototype Class 42 Warship and there was much publicity around its introduction, so its not surprising that it was featured in the Gomm range. Some early badges had a makers mark on the back which I was once told by Gomm's was used from 1957 to 1962.

 

[Czesziafan]

I too had one of these, in my case a BR Brush Type 4 in two tone green. I'm sure I still have it somewhere, can't remember where I originally obtained it from though. Perhaps an early seventies works open day, Crewe maybe?

BR did sell them at open days and I remember one at Crewe in September 1973 and anther in 1975. Collectors Corner also sold them.

I too had one of these, in my case a BR Brush Type 4 in two tone green. I'm sure I still have it somewhere, can't remember where I originally obtained it from though. Perhaps an early seventies works open day, Crewe maybe?

 

[Ash Bridge]

BR did sell them at open days and I remember one at Crewe in September 1973 and anther in 1975. Collectors Corner also sold them.

Thanks for confirming, and that 1973 Open Day at Crewe was one I too attended!

 

[DelW]

I didn't know the Science Museum sold them but Clapham and Swindon definitely did. D800 was of course the prototype Class 42 Warship and there was much publicity around its introduction, so its not surprising that it was featured in the Gomm range. Some early badges had a makers mark on the back which I was once told by Gomm's was used from 1957 to 1962.

It's possible that mine came from the Clapham museum, as I do remember visiting there as well. However I'd have been around eleven when that opened, and I think I had the badge when I was younger than that.

The Science Museum shop was a real Aladdin's cave to me as a small boy!