What’s in a name? Chiltern Railways offers unique buying opportunity to help charities

Published: 30th June 2015

Class 67 locomotive nameplates offered for sale at auction on July 25

Chiltern Railways is offering a very rare chance for their passengers (and anyone else) to buy at auction four Class 67 nameplates. The locomotives have been returned to owners DB Schenker as Chiltern now use Class 68 locomotives hired from Direct Rail Services.

Locomotive nameplates are a popular railway souvenir and fetch high prices, often between £20,000 and £30,000 for steam ones. Some diesel versions have reached £20,000 and the Chiltern ones could reach half this amount.

The auction proceeds will be allocated to the company’s charities of the year for 2015, chosen by staff. These are St Basil’s and The Brain Tumour Charity.

How do I bid and which nameplates are on offer?

The four plates are: from No. 67014 ‘Thomas Telford’, 67015 ‘David J Lloyd’, 67012 ‘A Shropshire Lad’ and ‘Dyfrbont Pontcysyllte’.

The auction is being organised by G.W. Railwayana Auctions, a long-standing railway auction company, and takes place on Saturday 25 July at 10am at Pershore High School in Worcestershire postcode WR10 2BX. As is usual with auctions, viewing the items takes place from 8am that morning. There is also an online catalogue available.

These nameplates were used on trains running between London Marylebone, Banbury, Birmingham and Kidderminster so have been widely seen and it is this that might push the price up.

They said:

Rob Brighouse, Chiltern’s Managing Director said: “Names plates of this type don’t come up for auction very often so this is a fantastic opportunity for collectors to get their hands on some unusual railway memorabilia. The money raised will go towards two very worthwhile causes, which we’re incredibly proud to be supporting in 2015.”

This auction has a simultaneous live venue and live internet bidding facility and the full catalogue of 500 Lots is now online.

External Links

• Chiltern Railways
• G.W.Railwayana Auctions Ltd