All locos when built were
given a number by the builders so that records were
available as to the history of that particular loco when it
needed servicing or parts replacing as time went by. These
were generally brass plates (some were cast iron) with the Constructors name and location, the
year built and the manufacturers Works number. These have
become very collectable over the years and many have
survived. In most cases two similar Worksplates were carried
one on each side of the cab or frames.
Locomotive Worksplates can be
divided into four major categories which are Main Line &
Industrial Steam and Main Line & Industrial Diesel/Electric.
The plate pictured above is from a National Coal Board
Industrial Steam Loco that worked in the Fife area.
MAIN LINE STEAM WORKSPLATES
Brass Worksplate ex LMS 3P 4-4-2T
originally numbered 2122/BR "41940"
LNER brass 9" x 5" WORKSPLATE
ex LNER Class B1 4-6-0 named 'REITBOK'.
Brass
WORKSPLATE from a Robinson 2-8-0
ROD No "2028" bought by the GWR in 1919 &
numbered"3016".
Brass WORKSPLATE ex Barry Railway
B1 Class 0-6-2T numbered "113".
When absorbed into the GWR it was
numbered "269" & worked from Barry and Cardiff
East Dock.
Brass WORKSPLATE "LMS BUILT
HORWICH 1928". Ten LMS 0-6-0 Locos of Class “4F”
were built that year being Numbers 44457 - 66.
Brass WORKSPLATE "NEILSON REID
"6067/1902"
from a Great Central J11 0-6-0 numbered by the
LNER 6005. Later to become BR "64312".
Brass WORKSPLATE "NBL Co
"23834/1929"
from a GWR 5700 Class 0-6-0PT number 5716
which was allocated new to Bristol SPM.
Brass WORKSPLATE ex GNR Class
"J22" 0-6-0 which entered service in
September 1913 and later became LNER
3572/4221/ BR 64221.
INDUSTRIAL STEAM WORKSPLATES
Brass
WORKSPLATE ex NCB 0-6-0ST that was named
"EDITH" and worked in the the Wigan
area.
Brass
WORKSPLATE from an 0-4-0ST named
"GRANVILLE No5" that was based at
Granville Colliery, Swadlingcote.
Brass WORKSPLATE ex
0-4-0 ST No 6 that worked at the
Carron Company in Falkirk
Brass WORKSPLATE ex 0-4-0ST No4
"WINDSOR" from Windsor St Gasworks
Birmingham
INDUSTRIAL DIESEL WORKSPLATES
Brass Worksplate from a 20hp
4WDM, new to Eldon Brickworks,
Bishops Auckland on 25 July 1935
Brass Worksplate from a standard
gauge 0-4-0DH No 9 which went
new to the Royal Ordnance
Factory at Pembery.
MAIN LINE DIESEL/ELECTRIC WORKSPLATES
Alloy WORKSPLATE ex Class 60
“60069”.
Chromed brass
WORKSPLATE ex Class 20
D8320/20220 which entered
traffic at Polmadie in
November 1967.
Alloy
WORKSPLATE ex Class 47
loco numbered
D1840/47190 which
entered traffic in May
1965.
Brass
WORKSPLATE ex Class 76
electric loco
26038/76038/76050.
BR
Alloy WORKSPLATE.
Locos built at Derby
that year were Class
25 Locos D5240 –
98, D7500 –18/20.
BR
Alloy WORKSPLATE ex
electric Loco
E3155/86234 that was
named J B Priestly
in 1980.
Due to the large number of
Locos that have been built
over the years by a varied
collection of Manufacturers
this is an enormous subject
to cover. However Loco
Worksplates are
generally quite small and so
are easily displayable. They
often contain enough
information on them to
relate the plate to a
specific loco and so they are
sought after by a large
number of collectors. For
this reason some can go for
£5000++. However the more
general plates can be
obtained quite cheaply and
we show below a couple of
examples that
could get your collection
started.
Both these plates are
Cast iron and should be
obtainable at about £100
each.
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