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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

A fine view from the Sydney Electric Heritage Trains run down the Lavender Bay sidings line in N Sydney this afternoon #railways #trains #sydney #australia

A view of Sydney Harbour from Milson’s Point branch line with the Harbour Bridge spanning the busy waterway

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Heritage trains and buses galore at Sydney Central station this weekend as part of the Transport Festival

New South Wales Government Railway steam locomotive in platform at Sydney Central Station

Heritage diesel unit train at Sydney Central Station

Vintage Leyland double deck bus outside Sydney Central Station

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The last year that British Railways itself published the annual multi-volume "Holiday Haunts" guide books was 1961; this is the cover for the West of England, South & Central Wales book giving details of rail services, resorts & accommodation. ↘️ flic.kr/p/2sDLqNQ

Holiday Haunts 1961 : West of England (Somerset, Devon & Cornwall) and South and Central Wales : British Railways : 1961. For many years British Railways continued with the pre-Nationalisation railways publications of "Holiday Haunts" or guidebooks giving descriptions of resorts and holiday destinations along with numerous adverts for hotels, accommodation and boarding houses. This, part 4 of a multi-volume series covering the whole of Britain, runs to over 400 pages. It covers the West Country, South & Central Wales along with the Cambrian Coast as well as some southern counties including Dorset, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Warwickshire & Worcestershire; lobsters in the latter counties tended only to be found on dinner tables.

However, by the early 1960s and with the Beeching reorganisation of British Railways, the management was starting to question such seemingly ancillary activities and I suspect the sheer management and production of such volumes was increasingly being viewed as not 'core business'. In addition the mass movement of holiday makers by rail was waining and many of the resorts listed were increasingly loosing their railway services.

The following year, 1962, British Railways ceased publication of the guides. They were handed over to a private publisher who attempted to keep them going for a few years but they did not survive long. The jolly lobster, in a bucket and holiday a spade and flag with "1961" on, is not credited.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

A 1938 "Regional Leaflet" issued by S.N.C.F this covering Artois, Flandre and Picardie. The cover artwork is by noted French artist and designer Pierre Commarmond (1897 - 1983) who at the time was working with the agency who produced the leaflet Éditions Mayeux. ↘️ flic.kr/p/2sDAumq

Dépliants Régionaux S.N.C.F. : Artois, Flandre, Picardie : Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français : 1938 : cover by : Pierre Commarmond. One of the series of "Regional Leaflets" issued by the French State Railways, the S.N.C.F; this is the 1939 edition covering Artois, Flandre and Picardie. The cover artwork is by noted French artist and designer Pierre Commarmond (1897 - 1983) who at the time was working with the agency who produced the leaflet Éditions Mayeux. It shows in shades of brown, with the sea in turquoise, a stylised town square with a large building in dark brown to the right edge - and in the distance countryside, coastline and the sea.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The British Railways, Eastern Region's "Party Outings" booklet for 1957 giving details of group travel options for organisers of excursions and outings for organised parties. #railways #graphicdesign #1950s ↘️ flic.kr/p/2sD6yx7

Party Outings : British Railways : Eastern Region : 1957.

The Eastern Region's "Party Outings" booklet for 1957 giving details of group travel options for organisers of excursions and outings for organised parties. It gives details of possible destinations, with combined train, coach and boat itineraries, fares and details of catering options. This had been a lucrative market for the railways but, as the 'fifties went on, against car and motor coach competition, it became I suspect more of a struggle and appears to have been a business the railways would in time pull out of. I suspect it was alongside the fact that BR had large numbers of carriages 'sitting around' for months on end ready to deal with occasional peak traffic such as these outings, that could range from tens to thousands, and seasonal holiday traffic.

The cover, by "FDB", shows a group in a 'cloud' against a background of travel options taking you 'there and back' on the left; these sketches of trains, coaches, boats are in white on blue and take up the left third of the cover. The two-thirds to the left are in green and have the British Railways totem and Eastern Region in black on the green and lower edge "Party Outings" in white.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Publicity booklet for the once noted Royal Hotel in Scarborough, Yorkshire, from the mid-1950s with a design by artist Laurence Scarfe. Like many items of the hotel's publicity this was printed at the Curwen Press. #ephemera #yorkshire ↘️ flic.kr/p/2sDcAPD

Royal Hotel, Scarborough, Yorkshire : publicity booklet : design : Laurence Scarfe : printed at the Curwen Press : nd [ca.1955]. A charming ephemeral item; a small publicity booklet issued by the then famous Royal Hotel in Scarborough on the Yorkshire Coast and produced under the name of Mr. R. T. Laughton, one of the three generations of the family to have run the establishment. The Royal Hotel issued many fine items of publicity and this example is designed by Laurence Scarfe, who was commissioned on several occasions by the hotel, and is printed at the Curwen Press, Plaistow. Undated it has a feel of the mid-1950s. It rather echoes some of the contemporary British Transport Hotels publicity.

The red background, broken with thin red vertical lines, highlights two oval cartouche panels, each with decorative borders, the upper panel reading Royal Hotel Scarborough and the lower showing a sketch of the hotel signed "LS" for Laurence Scarfe.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Looking through my old London Underground photos folder from 'work' - the almost completed platforms at Bounds Green station on the Cockfosters extension of the Piccadilly line seen on 8/7/1932. Note the very different & long lost lighting treatment this group of stations had. (LT photo).

B/W photo from an official London Transport photo album showing the almost completed platforms at Bounds Green station on the Cockfosters extension - posters are up but tiling not quite complete. This shows the original soffit level downlighting, long lost, and the light bars at right angles to the platform with the way out signs in the distance.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Cover to the 1971/72 CIÉ Irish railway timetable booklet; during the late 60s & early '70s the company used a series of abstract designs based on arrows, direction & movement on their timetable booklet covers. #transport #ireland #graphicdesign ↘️ flic.kr/p/2sCUVhZ

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Quite the sunset here in Otley, West Yorkshire, this evening as we pass the equilux. Downhill all the way now until December for me! #sky #sunset

A vivid orange colour across the sky as the sunsets over Otley West Yorkshire this evening - the day of equilux.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Map of Ireland's bus & rail system in 1961 from that winter's railway timetable - with the CIÉ "flying snail" logo. The country's rail network had seen savage closures over the previous decade & the 'rationalisation' esp. of inter-regional routes was not yet complete. ↘️ flic.kr/p/2sCPsjX

CIÉ timetable - passenger trains ; 11 September 1961 to 17 June 1962 : Córas Iompair Éireann : Dublin : 1961 : CIÉ map of passenger services : Ireland in yellow against blue with bus routes in red and rail routes in black.

The map of the Winter 1961/62 passenger trains timetable issued by CIÉ, the Irish state transport company. In the face of seemingly unsurmountable losses in the railway side of the business CIÉ had been rapidly turning to diesel power and been severely pruning the once extensive Irish railway network. As the map shows the cull of lines was not yet over with various inter-regional and branch lines shown that would in coming years be abandoned to road traffic with the many bus routes shown in red.

In recent years the Irish railway network has not only seen stability but signs of growth with modernisation and re-opening of some sections of railway.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

The old hometown & the 1972 SELNEC bus time table cover; the South East Lancashire & North East Cheshire PTE had been formed in 1969 & would pass to the new Greater Manchester PTE in 1974. The PTE adopted a bold orange livery & the lazy "S" logo. #graphicdesign #transport ↘️ flic.kr/p/2sCEnUE

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Stanford's 1862 6-inch Map of London & its Suburbs is one of the great maps of the Dickensian metropolis & one of my favourite cartographic objects. Sheet 6 shows Euston & King's Cross stations before St. Pancras; this 1865 revision has the new Metropolitan Rly "under the road". ↘️ flic.kr/p/2sCEd7a

Stanford's Library Map of London and its Suburbs : Sheet 6 : Regents Park & King's Cross : 1862 (revised to 1865) : Of the many wonderful printed maps of Victorian Britain, with the Ordnance Survey beginning the task of large scale mapping of urban areas, and with a plethora of maps of the Metropolis few come as close to visual delight as the 6 inch survey map of London and its Suburbs published by Edward Stanford in 1862 and, with Sheet 6 here, revised to 1865. It is difficult to any one highlight of this fascinating glimpse into the Dickensian city when it was, most likely, the largest city on earth and one that was still rapidly expanding. This sheet runs from Regents Park, in green, along the Marylebone and Euston Roads east towards Pentonville with Camden Town to the north. As well as the canals in blue this sheet shows very clearly the 'newcomers' of the many railways already centred on Euston and King's Cross stations, shown in red, with to the north of the latter, the Midland Railway's platforms; this was before the dense streets to the west around Old St. Pancras Road was to be cleared at great expense and with much displacement of the population to allow construction of the Midland's own great terminus station of St. Pancras.

One addition to 1865 would have been the railway wonder of the age; the Metropolitan Railway that can be seen under Euston Road with stations at Euston Square, the two entrance pavilions to the west end of the station platforms shown, and King's Cross. You can also see to the south of the line the note "under the road" where the line had been built using cut and cover construction and creating the world's first "Underground" line. There is also so much more to see; the Metropolitan Cattle Markets, Pentonville Prison, Houses of Correction, gas works and barracks.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

1954 British Railways Eastern Region Passenger Trains Facilities booklet with the regional map prior to widespread closures. The London Transport Central line, transferred from the main line, is still on the map - stations still accepting parcels & goods. #railways #1950s #map ↘️ flic.kr/p/2sCpcYG

There is something quite visually appealing about the Philip's railway system maps for British Railways; yes, there can be a fair amount of station name 'clashes' but overall they give a good sense of the network, in this case revised to March 1954, and how it 'sat' in the topographic landscape. This particular version appears in the 1954 issue of the "Passenger Train Facilities" booklet for the Region and it shows the many lines allowing for some early closures but before the swathe of abandonments that the next decade would see. The only downside of such a map is the slight downplaying of other Region's services; in some areas these were quite important yet here, as if they were competing companies, they can be a little understated!

Later versions of the map show the 'Great Northern' and 'Great Eastern' lines in separate colours - after the central shackles of the BTC were lifted a little - and another feature is that the lines in east London and Essex transferred to the Central line of London Transport still appear here with stations still open for parcels and freight; operation of such trains in between Central line trains were at the time still to be seen. This is seen in one of two district insets; London and Sheffield.

The Region's lines are shown in red, the North Sea in blue and the map is framed in dark blue - the BR totem and regional title in white on a panel, top edge.

Passenger Train Facilities : Eastern Region : British Railways : 1954 : A marvellous booklet, issued by the Eastern Region of British Railways in 1954, and giving "a synopsis of facilities for passengers and for the conveyance of luggage, parcels, merchandise, etc., by passenger train". These include fares, services such as catering and hotels, along with a multi-page list of passenger stations, enquiry offices and agencies, their telephone numbers and where applicable, early closing days. There is also a map of the Region's lines.

The cover is in dark blue with totem and titling in white; top and lower edge shows a running border of an outline of a steam locomotive and carriages (running left - right at top and right - left at lower).

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

The stylish cover to the 23 September 1937 issue of the short lived British magazine "Night & Day" notable for the artwork on many of its covers. It folded due to commercial struggles and a famous libel suit by Shirley Temple against Graham Greene's review of Wee Willie Winkie. flic.kr/p/2rJzsE1

Night & Day was a short lived magazine, produced under the auspices of the Chatto & Windus publishing company, that appeared for only six months from July to December 1937. It was an attempt to mimic the "New Yorker" magazine here in the UK and as well as humerous articles and cartoons it contained a selection of 'pleasures and places' in London such as concerts, plays and exhibition listings. In its short life it attracted some fine cartoonists and artists. Despite its short existance it gained a real reputation especially due to the nature of its closure.

This waspish scene is marvellously done; the two women supposed to be admiring the model are intently chatting to each other whilst the two gentlemen with them are, apparently, taking too much interest.The fashionable scene is by "TW". The focus is the long flowing dress in red against a green background - the seated and standing figures are stylishly dresses in shades of green, brown and grey.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Cymru am Byth : British Railways leaflet & pictorial map inviting you to "Come to Beautiful Wales" in 1958. #wales #travel #railways #cymru ↘️ flic.kr/p/2sCeKwb

Wales : Cymru am Byth : publicity leaflet and pictorial map : British Railways : [1958] : covers : left: back cover with the Royal Badge of Wales centred and a sketch, above, of fishing boats pulled up on beach and below, a coastal landscape with ruins. The front cover is dominated by a love spoon, with daffodils, against a coastal landscape.

Pictorial map of Wales from a 1958 British Railways travel publicity leaflet. It shows the country with sketched landmarks and figures against hills and mountains with main line railways shown. Top right is a panel with "Come to beautiful Wales - Cymru am Byth" and the Red Dragon.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

A ca.1965 folder showing the once landmark buildings of Brighton "B" Power Station of 1952 - 1987, adjacent to Shoreham Harbour from whence it took its coal deliveries, one of the post-war 'temples of power'. There's also a map of the SE generating stations. @c20society.bsky.social #electricity

Cover to the CEGB descriptive folder on Brighton B power generating station - central colour photo of the brick built structure dominated by twin chimneys at either end of the turbine hall. In the foreground are boats at anchor in Shoreham Harbour.

An illustrated folder, probably issued for visitors or education purposes, describing the Brighton "B" generating station that was situated at Southwick to the west of the Sussex town and seaside resort. The town had a long and illustrious history when it came to electricity; it was thanks to the work of the Hammond Electric Light and Power Company, later the Brighton & Hove Electric Light Company, when they opened their first station in the town in 1882.In 1891 the Corporation joined in with a municipal generating station at North Road and in 1894 they acquired the company. In 1904 the existing generation capacity was outstripped and so construction of a new generating station, adjacent to the Harbour at Shoreham began. Commissioned in 1906 the station was extended over time until in 1946 Brighton Corporation was given the go-ahead to construct a second station on the site, Brighton "B". By 1952 when the first generating sets were commissioned the municipal undertaking had been Nationalised and the station was part of the British Electric Authority.

Brighton "B", faced with silver grey and bronze bricks from the High Broom Company of Tunbridge Wells to blend with the tones of the surrounding beach, was a notable local landmark. The station was decommissioned in 1987 and subsequently demolished although a gas powered station is now present on the site. The folder gives details of the sea-carried coal supply for the station that came from the North East coalfields and that utilised four specially constructed colliers; James Rowan, Sir John Snell, Charles H. Merz and Sir William Walker. A fifth vessel, the Sir Johnston Wright, was also used at times of high spring tides.

Map showing power generating stations in the South East Division of the Central Electricity Generating Board - North and South Thames with a London inset. It appears in a ca.1965 folder on Brighton "B" Power Station. The folder also included a panel on the basics of electricity generation from coal and includes a map of the South Eastern Region of the Central Electricity Generating Board and the two divisions, North and South Thames, with generating stations and proposed stations shown. The folder, undated, is likely to date to the mid-late 1960s as it shows the nuclear stations at Dungeness, Bradwell and Sizewell with the ill-fated Dungeness B 'under construction' yet also includes a number of smaller and older stations, such as in London, that were phased out as larger coal and nuclear stations came on stream around 1970.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Shildon, laying claim to be the cradle of the railways in 1825, with the wheels of industry and of locomotion on the cover of the ca.1971 Official Guide. The town's once great railway works are now home to the NRM's outstation "Locomotion" retaining a link with the past. ↘️ flic.kr/p/2sBMTN8

Shildon, Co. Durham : official guide and industrial handbook : Shildon Urban District Council : E. J. Burrow & Co. Ltd. : nd [ca.1971] : Orange background with white title text to top edge. The cover is dominated by a series of five yellow cogs or gear wheels culminating in a sixth, white, that carries the Council's unofficial device, three shields centred, the upper showing an early railway locomotive as built in the town, the shields interspersed with coal picks and a hammer.

The ca.1971 official guide and industrial handbook to the Co. Durham town that was home to 14,499 at the time of publication. Shildon's main business at the time was the vast British Rail wagon works and it could, and did, lay claim to be the world's first railway town due to its association with the first running of a train on the Stockton & Darlington Railway on 17 September 1825.

The cover is indicative of the gears or wheels of industry along with the council's 'device' that features a railway locomotive. Although the railway works have long gone the town's association with them has been cemented as the site is now the major outstation of the National Railway Museum, "Locomotion".

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

1963 British Railways Camping Coaches - "the thrill of outdoors plus the comfort of indoors!". The railway provided converted, static carriages at scenic locations to be rented for holidays. It died out as closure of branch lines increased & it was seen as no longer core business. flic.kr/p/2sBHqT8

Take twice the holiday in a Camping Coach : publicity leaflet : British Railways : 1963. The cover to the 1963 issue of British Railways "Camping Coach" leaflet that gives details of the 128 locations across Britain where static railway carriages were situated having been converted into holiday accommodation. The leaflet gives details of the coaches by region; the majority of the coaches were still oil (paraffin) or bottle gas 'powered' although a few were now hooked up to the local electricity supply. There were five sites with "Pullman" holiday coaches. As can be seen from the leaflet the coaches were sold on the idea that you got the '"thrill of outdoors plus the comfort of indoors".

The idea of 'Camping Coaches' had been developed during the inter-war years and British Railways were enthusiastic promoters of the scheme. However, from the mid-1960s, as many branch lines closed and therefore more 'remote' locations were lost the number of coaches started to fall away allied to the fact that this was not core business in the new age of British Rail. A few privately owned railway camping coaches are still in use.

The cover shows a colour photo of one of the Pullman coaches, a happy family in the garden in front of the coach under a parasol with a small child leaning out of the carriage window. The title text is upper and the lower, blue, text panel gives information as to the 128 locations, coast and inland, inside the leaflet.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

1967 & the British Rail-Southern Vectis publicity leaflet announcing the commencement of the electric train services, between Ryde & Shanklin with connecting buses to Ventnor. The trains were, famously, refurbished ex-London Transport Underground units from the 1920s. #transport ↘️ flic.kr/p/2sBvNzU

New electric train services ... with bus connections : Isle of Wight : publicity leaflet : British Rail : Southern Region : Southern Vectis Omnibus Co. Ltd. : 20 March 1967 : cover. The cover in a BR blue is dominated by an image of the driving motor cab of one of the ex-LT units. Main title in white, other text in black.

The British Rail and Southern Vectis leaflet announcing the introduction of the electrified train services and connecting buses on the Isle of Wight that came into use on 20 March 1967. The island had seen much of its railway services withdrawn over the years but the decision was made to retain the eight and a half mile section of line between Ryde and Shanklin and electrify this on the Southern's third rail system. To keep infrastructure costs down and to avoid the construction of new rolling stock British Rail acquired a batch of former London Transport Underground 'Standard-stock' units dating from between 1923 and 1931 and that, refurbished for this use, latterly became British Rail's Class 485 and 486 stock.

These already elderly units would run until replaced by London Transport Underground 1938-tube stock in 1989/92; subsequently ex-London Underground D-78 stock have taken over. The leaflet also gives details of the connecting bus services to Ventnor operated by Southern Vectis, the local bus and coach operator.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

A ca.1954 tenants guide to Peterlee New Town in Co. Durham issued by the Development Corporation. An interesting glimpse into the New Town in its first few years since inception in 1948; the 5,000 inhabitants were about to get their first pub & shops. @municipaldreams.bsky.social flic.kr/p/2sB7TLt

Front cover to the ca. 1954 Tenants Guide to Peterlee New Town in Co. Durham. Shows a b/w aerial photograph of the new houses under construction between open fields. About 5,000 people lived here at the time out of a proposed 30,000 as planned in 1948 and the guide notes the opening of the first shops in the Town Centre and the town's first pub.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Some grand aerial views of the huge works in W Yorkshire as part of the TransPennine Railway Upgrade Programme - it's so good to see this level of transport investment in the North. #railways #transport (R Stenhouse/Flickr) flic.kr/p/2sx1HhH

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Baker Viaduct update 3. 24.08.26

As with the other photo's today, work have been going on with the bridge decking .

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

"Got a light mate?" : Late 1970s pack of 5 boxes of "This is the age of the train" matches presented "with our compliments" by British Rail. #railways #ephemera

Cellophane sealed presentation packet containing five boxes of matches each with a different design promoting "Inter-City" and "This is the age of the train" from the late 1970s British Rail publicity campaign. Blue - business travel, yellow - Railcards, red - Leisure Travel, Green Inter-City 125, orange - package holidays.

reverse of cellophane covered presentation pack of five boxes of matches - on blue in gold it reads "This is the age of the train" and the BR double arrow symbol. Mfgs name at edge of box.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

It's time to say hello to Caroline, Andrew & Enid, all with detachable wigs - the Harris & Sheldon family as seen in an advert for the display dummies in Display Magazine from Sept. 1965. Harris & Sheldon were a long established Birmingham based shopfitting company. ↘️ flic.kr/p/2odeahL

3 charming additions - Caroline, Andrew and Enid : advert issued by Harris & Sheldon (Display) Ltd., Willenhall, Staffordshire : in Display Magazine, September 1965 : The advert is dominated by a photograph of the three dummies - Caroline, aged 6 in a white dress and wig, Andrew aged 8 in a stripy t-shirt and plain shorts and Enid, aged 14, in a white dress and carrying a posy.

Caroline aged 6, Andrew aged 8 and Enid aged 14, all with detachable wigs, were the three charming new additions to the Harris and Sheldon family range as seen here in this September 1965 advert from "Display" magazine. It was the trade magazine for retail display manufacturers and users.

Harris & Sheldon were a long established firm with their origins in Birmingham in 1880 when Mr Harris started a shop fitting business. By 1900 Mr Sheldon was part of the company that had adopted the title of Harris & Sheldon. They diversified quite early on, working with metal working concern Sankey's to form Sankey-Sheldon who made steel office furniture and by 1960 they owned quite a portfolio of companies including Evans Lifts, Evertaut office furniture, English Rose Kitchens, Hardy Brothers fishing tackle, Webley & Scott air rifles as well as Brooks Bicycle Saddles and their associated company Antler Luggage. I recall Harris and Sheldon's works and offices as we used to pass them on the 16 bus travelling into Birmingham city centre on Constitution Hill and my father worked, at the time, for Evertaut.

As the advert shows one of the subsidiaries, allied to shop fittings, was the Willenhall based Harris & Sheldon (Display) Co who made amongst other things shop "dummies' or shop mannequins. The company still 'exist' but rather oddly having sold off all the businesses are now a property company with interests in salmon farming.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Skegness may be bracing but - Bridlington will make you jump for joy! The wonderful cover to the Yorkshire coastal resort's Official Guide for 1934. #seaside #holidays #design #yorkshire @seasideferry.bsky.social ↘️ flic.kr/p/2sAWUoW

Bridlington will make you jump for joy : official guide : Bridlington Corporation : 1935 : With a marvellous take on the "Skegness is so bracing" line - the cover to the 1934 official guide to Bridlington "for Glorious Holidays" and as published by the Yorkshire coastal town's Corporation. The guide was printed up the road in Scarborough by E.T.W. Dennis, the company formed in 1870 and who are reputed to have printed Britain's first picture postcard, a genre they became famous for including the saucy seaside type.

The cover shows the beach, dotted with people, with the distant Promenade and buildings with, centred, a smiling woman in a red bathing costume, appearing to vault over the bold, shadowed and inclined title lettering "Bridlington". The 'will make you jump for joy" is below right corner.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

A 2014 discovery behind the enamel panelling during works at Embankment station on London's Underground. This London Connections map pre-dates the 1983/84 fitting of the Robyn Denny artworks. #london #map #transport #railways

A photo of a re-discovered pre-1983 London Connections poster map at Embankment station as seen in 2014 during station works. It shows north central London centred on Euston, Central line to the lower edge.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Some Waterloo & City line fun from 1992 - just before the ex-Southern Railway's 1940 stock was replaced with a run-on order of London Underground's 1992-stock in 1993. It's seen here decked out in Network South East garb. #railways @doublearrow64.bsky.social youtu.be/JWUFDMJqF40?...

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YouTube video by Thames News

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Mid-1960s Bulgaria - Balkan Tourisme - graphic design on the covers to this English language travel brochure. The country's ruling Communist government actively promoted foreign tourism to the country as an important source of hard currency. #travel #graphicdesign ↘️ flic.kr/p/2sAFxP4

Bulgaria : tourist brochure : Balkantourist : State Enterprise to the General Travel Board in Bulgaria : Sofia : nd [ca.1965] : front cover : Some fine Socialist graphic design of the covers of this mid-1960s tourist guide to the country promoting the capital site, historic sights, countryside and coastal resorts of the then People's Republic of Bulgaria.

The Bulgarian ruling party had made a definite policy choice to open the country to western tourists in the 1960s and onwards and the business became a major source of hard currency for the country. By the mid-1970s the country had created a Ministry of Tourism; Balkantouriste was set up, under the Ministry of Railways in 1948, initially to promote travel from other socialist block countries before the remit widened to include developing other foreign markets to tourism in Bulgaria.

The red background is dominated by a stylised sun/moon symbol in yellow and white and below the centred title - stylised buildings, water, sailing and trees.

Bulgaria : tourist brochure : Balkantourist : State Enterprise to the General Travel Board in Bulgaria : Sofia : nd [ca.1965] : back cover : On yellow - above the Balkantourist lettering a stylised ship suggesting the sea and below, stylised red grapes and an apple suggesting fruit and produce.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

The Official Guide & map of the Furness Railway, one of many independent companies prior to Grouping in 1923. Their lines served much of the Lake District as well as the Cumbrian Coast & they promoted the various scenic attractions. The docks & industries of Barrow also appear. ↘️ flic.kr/p/2sAEeJn

Guide to hotels, farmhouses, country & seaside apartments in the Furness Railway district : Furness Railway Co. : Barrow - in - Furness : Holmes & Smith Ltd., Otto Press, Ulverston : 1922 : cover : A suitably green scene showing the ruins of Furness Abbey with the company's hotel behind.

The last edition of the Furness Railway's guide to "The English Lakeland" as, in the Grouping of Britain's railways the company would pass into the new London Midland & Scottish Railway on 1 January 1923. The illustrated guide book and map gives much information as to the areas of Lakeland, and the Furness and Cumbrian Coast, that the company's lines served. It also mentions, almost in passing, the important link for the iron, steel and shipbuilding interests it served primarily at Barrow in Furness, where the company developed an important port and dock facilities, and around Millom. It was these interests that had first sparked the construction of what was to become the Furness Railway, the first section of which had opened in 1846. By extension and acquisition the lines grew into a system that skirted the then Cumberland, Lancashire and Westmorland coastal areas and with links to the national network south at Carnforth and Wennington and north at Whitehaven and Workington.

Despite the importance of freight the Furness struggled at times but they did very actively advertise their tourist trade; the Lakeland connections with the branches to Coniston and Windermere gave access to some of the most wonderful countryside in England. The booklet gives much in the way of information as to attractions, services and amenities. The cover shows Furness Abbey, the ruins of which were adjacent to the company run Furness Abbey Hotel.

Map of the Furness Railway : Guide to hotels, farmhouses, country & seaside apartments in the Furness Railway district : Furness Railway Co. : Barrow - in - Furness : Holmes & Smith Ltd., Otto Press, Ulverston : 1922 : Map showing the N W of England with the company's lines in red, connecting lines in black and steamer services from Fleetwood and Barrow in dashed red lines. The map extends from Workington in the North, Penrith and Wennington in east and Wigan in the south.

The last edition of the Furness Railway's guide to "The English Lakeland" as, in the Grouping of Britain's railways the company would pass into the new London Midland & Scottish Railway on 1 January 1923. The illustrated guide book and map gives much information as to the areas of Lakeland, and the Furness and Cumbrian Coast, that the company's lines served. It also mentions, almost in passing, the important link for the iron, steel and shipbuilding interests it served primarily at Barrow in Furness, where the company developed an important port and dock facilities, and around Millom. It was these interests that had first sparked the construction of what was to become the Furness Railway, the first section of which had opened in 1846. By extension and acquisition the lines grew into a system that skirted the then Cumberland, Lancashire and Westmorland coastal areas and with links to the national network south at Carnforth and Wennington and north at Whitehaven and Workington.

Despite the importance of freight the Furness struggled at times but they did very actively advertise their tourist trade; the Lakeland connections with the branches to Coniston and Windermere gave access to some of the most wonderful countryside in England. The booklet gives much in the way of information as to attractions, services and amenities.

090

Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

A recent ephemera find: 1930s Rowntree's of York "Dairy Butterscotch Chocolate Bar" wrapper from their "Tuppenny" range of bars. A lovely survivor of packaging design. #design #graphicdesign #chocolate #ephemera #york #vintage ↘️ flic.kr/p/2sABdsp

Rowntree's 2d Dairy Butterscotch chocolate bar wrapper : possibly 1930s : Yellow wrapper, with glue marks to top showing the original fold, and with a brown bar, red bordered, horizontally across that reads "Dairy Butterscotch" and that ends with a circular frame and "2d". the Rowntree's and Chocolate Bar appear either side of the banner in brown. The guarantee and info panel from the back appears along the lower edge.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Hebden Bridge station looking, as ever, pretty as a picture with an 'interloper' in the form of a TPE Class 185 on one of the many days of diversions along the Calder Valley line as modernisation works around Huddersfield continue. The older style signs are partially 'original'. ↘️ flic.kr/p/2sAvkpN

Photo looking west across the platforms and tracks at Hebden Bridge station, West Yorkshire. A TPE Class 185 DMU is berthed at the westbound platform. The station's Victorian canopies along with original and replica signs along with many hanging baskets of flowers. The station retained some of its old style signs and these have, unusually, been added to with new signs in an older style to retain the feel of the station.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

How very "all-American" & white are this happy family boarding their American Airlines 707 jet on the cover of this 1959 "Welcome Aboard" booklet? 52 pages of information about the journey in the new Jet Age. #travel #modernity #future ↘️ flic.kr/p/2sAB1pr

Welcome Aboard : passenger/travellers booklet : American Airlines, Inc. : New York, NY, USA : 1959. A fifty two page booklet issued by American Airlines - "First with jets across the U.S.A." - and produced in 1959. It gives details as to passenger information, comfort and travel planning helping to explain travel on the airline's new fleet of Boeing 707 "jet flagship' aircraft. In the back pocket there is also a passenger in-flight information card, a "Personal Jet Flight Log" book and a pre-paid postage customer services suggestion slip that could be filled in and handed to the stewardess who would mail it on for you.

Sadly, the very contemporary cover artwork is not credited. The happy 'all-American' and very white family get the red carpet treatment as they board. they are shown in technicolour as the first passenger, a smiling woman in red, reaches the top of the steps and is greeted by the stewardess - behind a woman in a yellow dress holds the hand of a smiling boy, a hatted gentleman behind. A red carpet with other passengers stretches out from the terminal buildings from which, on a viewing platform, people watch and wave.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

The original plans for the mighty Hebble Viaduct/Burdock Way, planned for Halifax, W Yorkshire, in the late '60s - only Phase I was built. I've seen the second before but not the first; from a 1973 Corporation brochure they appears to be by J D Monroe Harvey. @roads.org.uk @c20society.bsky.social

Inner Relief Road - Stages I & II : Hebble Viaducts from North Bridge : County Borough of Halifax : Inner Relief Road : completion of stage I : brochure : Borough Engineer's Office : Halifax Corporation : Husband & Co. : Sheffield : April 1973 :

At least one of these sketches, that looking west, was reproduced in a contemporary Official Handbook to the town but this copy, from the brochure issued by the County Borough's Borough Engineer and Surveyor along with the Consulting Engineer's, Husband & Co. of Sheffield, is much clearer and I have not seen this, the second sketch, looking east from North Bridge, before. They appear to be by John Dean Monroe Harvey (1895 – 1978), one of the greatest British post-war architectural perspectivists. Here we see the broad span of the Victorian North Bridge, designed to ease traffic movement in the Victorian town, underneath the planned double level viaducts across the Hebble Valley.

Stages I & II : View from New Bank : County Borough of Halifax : Inner Relief Road : completion of stage I : brochure : Borough Engineer's Office : Halifax Corporation : Husband & Co. : Sheffield : April 1973 : At least one of these sketches, that looking west, was reproduced in a contemporary Official Handbook to the town but this copy, from the brochure issued by the County Borough's Borough Engineer and Surveyor along with the Consulting Engineer's, Husband & Co. of Sheffield, is much clearer and I have not seen the second sketch, looking east from North Bridge, before. They appear to be by John Dean Monroe Harvey (1895 – 1978), one of the greatest British post-war architectural perspectivists.

This sketch looking west from New Bank shows the final version of the planned roads soaring across the Hebble, the old North Bridge below and the now conserved Dean Clough Mill complex to the right.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Cover to the 1926 Chicago Surface Lines streetcar/tramway guide : the full sweep of the city's history from Native American territory to a Metropolis powered by the CSL's system. CSL ran over 1,000 miles of track & 3,639 red & cream streetcars carrying 1,517,510,661 rides. ↘️ flic.kr/p/2sAa3cL

Seeing Greater Chicago by the Chicago Surface Lines : sightseeing and route guide : Chicago Surface Lines : 1926 :

A vast graphic sweep in colour from the left (back) cover that shows eagles soaring over Native American settlement - settler wagons in the distance, leading right to a vast towering city of skyscrapers stacked against the sky with smoking chimneys of industry Below - a band of tress under which, in blue clouds appears a pair of the CSL's red and cream streetcars.

The wonderful covers to the 1926 sightseeing and route guide to the Chicago Surface Lines system; at the time probably the world's largest streetcar/tramway system under unified management. Formed in 1913/14 to coordinate streetcar operation in the city from a multitude of owners and operators the CSL struggled from competition from the 1920s onwards with various of the operating concerns being bankrupt. The CSL introduced motor and trolleybuses to help stabilise and develop the system but, in 1947, they were folded into the new public authority the Chicago Transit Authority.

This sweeping vista of the city's history, from Native American land to Metropolis powered by the CSL's red and cream 'cars is quite remarkable but does not appear to be credited to any designer. At the time of publication Chicago's population was around 3,000,000 and it was amongst the top five most populous cities in the world. The CSL system, with a thousand miles of track and a fare structure that allowed a journey of thirty seven miles for one fare, was operated by 3,639 streetcars and 16,000 employees. In 1925 the network recorded 1,517,510, 661 passenger journeys - remarkable and precise figures!

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

It was less common to see a Parish Council issue an Official Guide but here the villages & hamlets of Steyning, Bramber & Beeding, in Sussex, are covered in a ca.1938 publication giving information as to services & amenities. The cover inc. the marvellously bold title lettering. ↘️ flic.kr/p/2sA6X4R

Steyning, Bramber and Beeding, Sussex : official guide ; 4th. edition : Steyning Parish Council : E. J. Burrow & Co. Ltd. : nd [ca.1938] : cover :

It is less usual to find a Parish Council initiating an Official Guide but here the Parish Council of these small but then quaint Sussex villages and hamlets decided that there was enough to 'sell'; to prospective visitors and residents. The guide covers Steyning itself along with adjoining Upper Beeding, Edburton, Bramber, Botolphs and 'the neighbourhood' with the usual mix of information, amenities, services and adverts for local concerns.

The fine cover to this small format volume is credited to "PHE"? but the initials are not clear; the view is of the Old Market Hall and Clock Town in Steyning sketched in browns and reds on the cream card and bordered to each side by an airbrushed frame. The lettering is wonderfully bold, in red on black, each seriffed letter with a white marker dot.

Burrow's, the publishers, obviously had access to typefaces from Stephenson, Blake as there is some Granby and Granby Inlined scattered about, the company's version of Johnston. The guide is not dated but mentions pre-nationalisation railways, gas and electricity so is either immediately pre-WW2 or post. It feels late 1930s.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

A comparatively late example of an RATP Paris Métro-Autobus map by Georges Redon, this from 1971 showing all modes of transport. Redon's publicity work was synonymous with RATP for many years. #paris #transport #1970s ↘️ flic.kr/p/2szZDLC

Paris et sa banlieue : Métro - Autobus : RATP - Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens : designed by : Georges Redon : 1971 : cover : The 1971 edition of the 'pocket' map of the Paris Métro, RER and bus network for the city centre and the suburbs. This was, I think, one of the last of the covers designed by Georges Redon whose artwork and map designs were synonymous with RATP for many years. The busy cover shows many of the transport modes along with stations and station entrances. These vignettes range from RER trains, buses, station entrances (at Nation), platforms at Louvre - with the RATP symbol top left and titling at lower right.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Tell India : a striking 1931 cover design by artist Christopher Cavania Sanders on a booklet issued by the Indian State Railways Publicity Bureaux to sell commercial advertising space on the system's stations, structures & trains. #india #railways #1930s ↘️ flic.kr/p/2szNRyu

Tell India : publicity brochure : Indian Railways Publicity Bureaux : Indian State Railways : London : [1931] : cover by : Christopher Cavania Sanders : A rather fine large format illustrated brochure issued by the London office of the Publicity Bureaux of the Indian State Railways and giving details of advertising opportunities for companies and manufacturers across the estate of the Railways. This includes posters and enamel signs on stations and platforms, on structures and alongside the tracks, inside train carriages and in publications such as the various timetables and magazines issued by the Indian State Railways; the company points out the potential scale of the market coverage as the population of then "British" India, the colony, was 350,000,000 and the railway system had 8,400 stations. Figures quoted include the 339,303,700 passengers carried and the 300,000 employees who had access to staff magazines.

India was, states the brochure in the language of the time, Britain's greatest export market. The striking cover is by Christopher Cavania Sanders RA (1905 - 1991) a British artist and illustrator who was elected to the Royal Academy in 1961.

The cover is dominated by a a bold figure in greens and blues, right hand extended, against a vermillion red background that fades to a softer pink towards the lower edge. The title "Tell India" appears in capitals on a black band that sits on the lower edge and that merges with the lower right of the figure.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

The cover to a multi-lingual publicity folder for British Railways, Eastern Region, in 1958. The stylised quayside scene is most likely by the artist and illustrator Frederick Donald Blake (1908 - 1997) who undertook many commissions for transport related subjects. ↘️ flic.kr/p/2szUNVQ

International door-to-door transport in railway containers : multi-lingual publicity folder : British Railways : Eastern Region : 1958 : cover : Shows crane on left of quay slinging a brick red "British Railways" container on to a vessel.

A fine artwork by "Blake" on the cover to a multi-lingual publicity folder issued by British Railways, Eastern Region, in 1958. It gives details of the container types, services and uses along with various photographs with reference to cross-Channel and Continental freight and shipping services. As well as English the text is reproduced in French, Dutch and German. Such container services, that minimised intermediate freight handling were in many ways the precursors to today's container use in transport and shipping.

This stylised quayside scene is most likely by the artist and illustrator Frederick Donald Blake (1908 - 1997) who undertook many commissions for transport related subjects.

The title panel at top edge, is set in BR's 'standard' Gill Sans typeface, gives the translations as;

Le transport international des merchandises, de porte a porte, au moyen des containers de chemins de fer.

International vervoer van huis tot huis in spoorweglaadkisten.

International haus-haus-verkehr in Bahneigenen behältern.

0113

Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Trust Houses, whose origins lay in the idea of community trust owned hostelries similar to the Gothenburg ideal, was formed as a national concern in 1918 & by 1939 owned 222 hotels. They had high standards of publicity often commissioning booklets about their historic inns. Some covers ca. 1928.

White Swan Hotel, Stratford on Avon : Trust Houses Limited : Service Advertising Co. Ltd. : London : nd [ca.1928] : Cover - repeated block images of a stylised white swan, crown around its neck, on a blue background. The title panel, white with blue lettering, is upper centre on the second line of swans.

The Bull Inn at Long Melford, Suffolk : Miller Christy : Trust Houses Limited : Service Advertising Co. Ltd. : London : nd [ca.1928] : cover - repeated stylised bulls head in orange on buff card. The title panel is inset towards upper edge, across bands two and three, with text in black.

Alfriston and its Star Inn : Miller Christy : Trust Houses Limited : Service Advertising Co. Ltd. : London : nd [ca.1928] : cover - repeated gold stars, edged in red, on cream covers with the title box, framed inn red, towards the upper centre and with "Alfriston and its Star Inn" in red.

161

Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Timetable of the Great Northern Railway of Ireland for 8 September 1952; the GNR(I) with its main line & network straddling the Border was financially on its last legs by this time & was nationalised the following year before being 'split' in 1958 North & South. #railways #ireland flic.kr/p/7XG1h2

Great Northern Railway of Ireland, timetable, 8 September 1952 : On a red background - upper a GNRI diesel railcar and lower a steam locomotive hauling a train. The word Time Tables is spread across the centre.

051

Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Some stills from a 1970s Deutsche Bundesbahn publicity film "Tante Mollys Geheimnis" - Aunt Molly's Secret - showing a journey across what was then West Germany - and with some fine DB publicity, signage & posters. And - a rather fine restaurant car! #railways #germany #1970s

0112

Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Cover to 1977 "Save Britain's Heritage" exhibition on railway architecture along with 2 press clippings; Hanwell station seen in a TSSA journal, & then under threat in 1975, is Listed & recently been restored. The London Evening Standard, contrasts Forest Hill station. @railwayheritage.bsky.social

Cover to "Off the Rails", 1977 Save Britain's Heritage Exhibition on railway architecture, held at RIBA Heinz Gallery in Jan - March 1977. B/W image looking across a Victorian station with staircases to left and multiple canopies.

Press clipping from a TSSA trade union journal of 1975 "Photo Feature" looking at Hanwell station in West London and the working conditions of Mrs Betts, ticket office clerk, who is working under gas light. (The station survived, is Listed and has recently been restored by TfL.)

Press clipping from London Evening Standard 18 January 1977 entitled "Down Memory Lane" by Martin Wainwright that illustrates the Save exhibition with two photos; a 'before' and 'after' of Forest Hill station in London; on left, the Victorian heyday and on right, the BR replacement 1960s structure following demolition of the original station.

092

Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Uncredited cover to the 1926 Orient Line cruises to Norway brochure that gives details of the summer tours to the fjords and Northern Capitals sailing from Immingham Docks. The Orient Line was to develop a notably high standard of design & publicity for their vessels. #travel ↘️ flic.kr/p/2szwaJ3

Orient Line cruises to Norway by 20,000 ton steamers : Season 1926 : travel brochure : Orient Steam Navigation Company : London : 1926. The Orient Line was one of the steamship companies who, from the 1920s onwards, became known for a strong corporate identity along with a bold and striking style of publicity. This charming, uncredited, cover is for the 1926 season of cruises to the coast and fjords of Norway and Northern Capitals than were run by the S.S. Oronsay and S.S. Otranto. Most of these tours ran from Immingham Docks and the company had arranged for a special Luncheon Car Express to operate from London and the Midlands in connection with the sailings,

The booklet notes that the Line had operated such sailings since 1889 when it commenced the Mail Boat crossings; the Orient Line, as well as running pleasure cruises to the Scandinavian countries between June and August, also ran pleasure cruises and tours to the Mediterranean in the Spring months as well as its fleet of Mail steamers to the Far East, Australia and New Zealand.

The cover shows a deep fjord amongst cliffs and towering mountains, a yellow sun partially appearing on the right. A couple of small figures walk across a track in the foreground with turf roofed cottages to the side of a tall birch tree with orange/gold leaves. The title sits on the black lower edge to the right.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

That's a fine owl! Overseeing a 1926 advert for "Halpaus Mocca " cigarettes in the Illustrierte Kölnische Zeitung for 20 November 1926. ↘️ flic.kr/p/2szr28B

020

Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

The aged Mother - she's 94 and don't you forget it - enjoying some autumnal sun and an ice cream in the front garden here in Otley, West Yorkshire, this afternoon with yours truly. #autumn #mother #icecream #yorkshire

Picture of my mother, 94, with an ice cream cone, whilst I pretend to lick it.

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Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

I still smile at my late father's quip that they should have followed German nomenclature and call it Bad Harrogate. A very period ca.1935 guide to the Yorkshire spa town & very much aimed at the sort of clientele the borough was aiming at for 'health & holiday". ↘️ flic.kr/p/2szeF9H

Cover to the ca. 1935 official guide to Harrogate Spa "for health and holiday". The cover shows an unattributed artwork showing the Royal Baths and gardens in foreground - to left, a nurse with two children and a dog, and in right/centre a smartly attired woman under a parasol next to a suited and hatted gentleman leaning on a walking stick.

060

Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Cover to the Open Day in July 1979 at British Rail's Stratford Traction Maintenance Depot at Stratford in London. The once mighty works site is now covered by HS1 works inc. Stratford International, the Westfield shopping centre & 2012 Olympic works. @doublearrow64.bsky.social ↘️ flic.kr/p/2szcNft

Stratford Traction Maintenance Depot : Open Day : 14 July 1979 : souvenir brochure : British Rail Eastern Region : 1979 : The cover to the souvenir brochure issued for the Open Day at Stratford Traction Maintenance Unit in east London on Saturday 14 July 1979. The extensive ex-Great Eastern, LNER and BR locomotive and carriage works dated back to 1847; by this date the Traction Maintenance Depot and repair shops co-existed alongside the International Freight and Freightliner Terminals. The site is now fundamentally changed, swept away by HS1 works along with Stratford International station, the 2012 Olympic works and the Westfield Shopping Centre.

The picture shows BR Class 47 169 carrying the name "Great Eastern'. This is flanked top and lower by blue text panels carrying the titling. The BR symbol, logotype & Eastern Region box sits on the top edge.

0103