Updated June 2017

Locomotive & Train Railwayana - Loco Worksplates

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) such as the one above 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 Loco 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 Loco 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 Loco 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 Loco 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 WORKSLATE. 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 plates are generally quite small and so are easily displayable. They often contain enough information on them to relate the plate to a specific loco, so they are sought after by a large number of collectors and 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 of Worksplates that could get your collection started.

Both these plates are Cast iron and should be obtainable at about £75 each.