I have just ... wasted ... the early evening going through the railwayman auction catalogue for GW Railwayman for which early bids are being taken online and which culminates on 16th and 17th November.   1000 lots - nothing this time that shouted "must have" to me - lots of lovely stuff but already beyond what I would pay.

 
I'm going to be trying to get the Looe running-in board for our small Looe Valley Line Heritage Centre on Platform 3 at Liskeard station.  Wish me luck!

 
Sadly you'll probably be outbid by some joker who wants it for a toilet door...

 

Definitely wish you good luck.  Do let us know the outcome......and congratulations on your 1000th post I notice.

 
The BR totems are all very valuable these days.  The Earlswood Lakes one must be especially rare.  The platforms there are quite short.

That totem is something I'd like, as the signalbox there was one of the first I visited, in teenage years.  But it would probably be unaffordable, and would generate an intolerable earache

 

Many thanks.  Thanks too re 1000 posts.  Blimey!

 

There was an Earlswood Lakes sold six years ago for £500 https://mail.gcrauctions.com/sale245/lot252.html That one doesn't look quite as nice as the one in the current auction.  Back then though, bidding from home wasn't as easy as it is now.

All it needs of course is two very keen people and the sky is the limit as we've seen with totems.   There is a Buyer's Premium plus VAT on that which adds 18% to the hammer price so a sign where the hammer came down on a top bid of £500 will cost just under £600 in all.  Then you or a friend either need to collect it or get a company to do so and send it to you (that's about £90).   

Not all totems are very valuable but not much (in good nick) sells for a hammer price of less than £350 nowadays.  A lot of totems do seem to be coming on to the market - I think the GWRA auction has the most in one auction to date.  Helps again that they don't need to be lugged to a hall for an in person traditional auction. 

 
Unfortunately I didn't get the Looe sign.  It went for £1400 (which will be nearly £1700 with the Buyer's Premium and VAT) - I couldn't get anywhere near that.  Such is life and it was worth a go.  I suspected the name and the sign's relatively small size (just 4ft long) would mean that there would be a fair bit of competition for it.

On the sale generally, interesting to see how well BR totem namesigns are selling, especially Southern surburban ones that didn't use to reach particularly high prices 5 and more years ago.  Good for the sellers and the healthy bidding shows the buyers are clearly happy too. 

 

Blimey!  Indeed, well worth a try, RichardB - but hard luck. 

 
Hmm. 

Is it possible, RichardB, that you could negotiate for a full size colour image of that running-in board, from the successful bidder (with full copyright and acknowledgement of ownership, obviously), to have that photo displayed in your museum at Liskeard?

Just a suggestion. 

 

Thanks for the thought, Chris.  I think we already have a picture of it, in situ, in our small heritage centre.  The sign would have been a nice to have if I had got it but the heritage centre is fine without it.