The LNER Encyclopedia

From about 1969/70 through to the 1980s 'Collectors corner' opposite Euston station and located in a old warehouse up a flight of stairs in a railway goods depot was a great place to visit for redundant railway items for sale.

Most if not all the redundant railway items were of either L.N.W.R., L.M.S. or B.R.(L.M.R.) in origin that i can recall and included such items as redundant signalling equipment such as L.N.W.R. block instruments, s/box track diagrams (i recall seeing Skinner Street Junction, New Inn Yard & Maiden Lane's track diagrams off the North London line around 1970/71 leaning up against the wall) locomen's grease topped hats, jackets & boiler suits, guards & station staff red & green flags, station totem signs & boxes full of railway buttons & railway badges etc etc...


http://www.flickr.com/photos/72123072@N04/8459953044

I think that there was a range of artifacts from all regions - your photo shows some tangerine NE region signs. I bought a nice NER block instrument from there sometime in the mid 1970s and a few other bits and pieces like a complete set of guards/signal box flags (red, yellow & green) - all unused.

Got a LNER Wagon plate from there, its a long time ago !!

...and seemingly 'far away' in one sense. No such bargains these days, unless a seller really doesn't know potential monetary values obtainable; or just wants rid of something a.s.a.p.

Clearly remember my first visit there in Cardington Street; winter '69/'70 I think : Amongst several unremarkable (then) signal arms for sale, there was an already venerable and by then uncommon full-size LNWR 'corrugated' stop signal arm; both spectacles broken.
Because I knew of two local-ish examples recently abolished, I felt sure it was one of the Starting signals from the (closed from around 03rd Nov. '69) platforms 1 & 2 at Broad Street.
Price? - - £12 !

That place would be a goldmine for collectors these days.

Micky wrote: " From about 1969/70 through to the 1980s 'Collectors corner' opposite Euston station and located in a old warehouse up a flight of stairs in a railway goods depot was a great place to visit for redundant railway items for sale. .... "
" .... http://www.flickr.com/photos/72123072@N04/8459953044 "

Meant to say, Micky, thanks for that link to Flickr /'tedarisaig' : - If you look at the other photos, and like that sort of period, what a really great set of wide-ranging pin-sharp images of the early '80s ! I must've looked at over a hundred by now, and not reached the end.

As previously posted I remember seeing Maiden Lane, New Inn Yard & Skinner Street s/box track diagrams laying against a wall.

It all got a bit too much when Bob Ballard (he who ran Collectors Corner) sent out a letter asking for all works plates on locos to be removed and sent to him. The word got round so fast that if we didn't remove them quickly they would soon be gone anyway! I actually thought by the end of the 1980's Collectors Corner was starting to struggle a bit - it was getting too full of tat they couldn't shift. The good stuff seemed to be drying up or being sold off before getting there.

In 1993, when I was at the Oak, we restored 47004 into green and got some replica worksplates made. We then got a letter from Collectors Corner saying why hadn't we removed the worksplates off 47004 in accordance with the instructions and demanded they be sent there immediately. A fairly robust reply was sent.

Once they moved the entrance "round the back" when they developed the front part, it was but a shadow of it's former self and didn't last that long afterwards. The York premises also went soon after that.

I went back there a few years later and most of the good stuff was obviously sold and gone.

Andy W wrote: Bob Ballard (he who ran Collectors Corner)

He is now runs RCTS Milton Keynes branch.
Used to see him on the train sometimes. One source of collectables was the BT Police. Someone with a collection of station totems made the mistake of having a photo of his collection appear in his local 'rag'. Nothing missed the eagle eyes of Collector's Corner. One of the signs was from a station that hadn't been re-signed so, ergo, they were all stolen (err...) and a visit by the transport plod resulted in more stocks for C.C.
I also remember in 1970 a glass door bookcase in Freight Movements, Euston that contained WTTs, sectional appendices etc back to 1923. We all coveted them but no-one dared steal them. Then C.C. found out, and they all went there.
And everything was expensive for the time. A dreary letter on LMS headed paper - ten shillings I remember

I have also heard tell of a B.R Rail curios shop in York in the 1980's. Does anybody know where this was?

Just before you enter the portico from the station hotel end turn to the right, the entrance was a door tucked away I think originally an entrance to the tea rooms. My first memory was mid 1980 you could buy Deltic works plates displayed there for fifty pounds each! I remember it clearly but no way could I afford one if only I had I think they go for a few thousand now at auction. Other gems were workshop manuals big blue A3 vinyl things again I missed out on a Deltic one for a quid, when I returned with the money it had gone so I bought a Class 17 Clayton one still got it today. Think it shut early 80's.

Micky wrote:From about 1969/70 through to the 1980s 'Collectors corner' opposite Euston station and located in a old warehouse up a flight of stairs in a railway goods depot was a great place to visit for redundant railway items for sale.

Yes, some very interesting stuff on sale there, but also some rather sharp practice probably contrary to the Sale of Goods Act as well.

Locked in a glass fronted cupboard was what appeared to be a pile of Manchester South Junction & Altrincham Railway tickets. Well the top one was anyway.

You had to ask a member of staff to unlock the cupboard for you if you wanted to buy one. I did and when he opened it he lifted up the top ticket and took out the second one in the pile. OK I thought, maybe the top one's faded and he doesn't want to sell me that.

Actually the top one was the only MSJ&AR ticket in the pile - the rest were BR(M)!

TRESTROL wrote:I have also heard tell of a B.R Rail curios shop in York in the 1980's. Does anybody know where this was?

Didn't Collectors' Corner move from Euston to York in the mid 80s?

It was in George Hudson St.
Bought a few things from there but a lot of high priced tat was also in stock.