Railway Adverts from the Modernisation Era

This website features over 1,000 trade advertisements from the 1950s and 1960s when the British railway stock businesses were busy building for the modernisation schemes.

There are adverts from rolling stock builders, and from suppliers of components used to build the vehicles. There are also adverts from other developments such as signalling, permanent way and electrification.

Most adverts were aimed at attracting more orders at home and abroad — but many also just seemed to be just a proud statement of what some firms had achieved!

Featured Advert:

Another one for the record

another-one-for-the-record

A May 1959 advert from Lightalloys Limited noting that it supplied many parts for these North British built diesel hydraulic locos (D600 pictured). They were cast in their Alpax light alloy and included the cabs and doors.

This advert appears in the following categories: Traction: Class 41 ; Supplier: Lightalloys Limited ; Component: Alloy Castings/Metals

More Samples:

North British Locomotives

Chlorea Granular Weedkiller

Famous the world over

Laycock-Whitlay Routicator Destination Equipment

Built at Glasgow for British Railways

Alsthom suspensions on BR types 'A' & 'B' a.c. locomotives

For economical running under all conditions

Mills Jaws