Many railway items when purchased are still in their ex use (ex loco) condition. The decision has to be made as to whether to restore the to look its best or to retain its authentic used looks.

Cast Iron Signs | Cast Iron Loco Plates | Brass Plates | Enamel Signs
Clocks | Silverplate | Other Items

CAST IRON SIGNS

Most cast iron signs had been left to rust for many years before they were rescued and turn up in such an ex loco state that it's difficult to read the message. I feel these are best restored – BUT DO NOT TOUCH THE BACK! – old paint and a nice post mark give great provenance if you wish to sell at a later date. You can either clean off all the old paint with paint stripper  (often a long labour of love) or just wire brush down and then paint the whole sign in the background colour and once dry pick out the letters in a contrasting colour, generally white.

Before	Restored
Before	Restored

 
CAST IRON LOCO PLATES

Smokebox numberplates, shedplates and worksplates are best left untouched if they are in as removed condition. If you are going to keep them for ever or need to display them in the front room then use the same process as with other cast iron signs and once again do not touch the back. I personally would never restore a shedplate as there are so many replicas in circulation and an ex loco look can double its value in auction, but once again it depends on what you want to do with it in the long term.

BRASS PLATES

The main difference between a new replica plate and a genuine old plate are the knocks and bumps on the face and the patina of age on the brass. These can be destroyed by skimming the front of the plate (done by the railway to some King Arthur plates to make them more saleable!) and then dipping in acid.
Worksplates and nameplates are best left untouched but often to display they have to be improved. Once again never touch the back or use acid to clean. If necessary repaint and polish with non abrasive chemicals – if you have a lined GWR backplate to repaint then get it done by a professional as a poor amateur job destroys the value of the nameplate.

ENAMEL SIGNS

Most enamel signs come with some signs of age – even a small chip in the enamel will quickly become rusty and with the damp in the air will continue to rust. I personally feel that any enamel sign looks better restored and I have all my enamel signs – totems , targets and other station enamels - restored to look as good as possible.
Many signs are very dirty when purchased and the first stage of improvement is to get a tin of Brasso liquid polish and some fine wire wool (this does not scratch enamel) and work on the sign until all the grime has been removed. Then clean and polish with a soft cloth. You now can see what you are working with. Scratch off any loose and flaking rust – taking care not to scratch the enamel – and then use a rust preventative on any rust on the front, the edges and, if you wish, the rear.
Using car body filler fill in the indents where you have cleared the rust and once dry use a scalpel to flatten – do not use sandpaper or emery cloth as this will irretrievably scratch the surrounding enamel. Finally buy some small tins of Humbrol enamel paint from your local model shop and attempt to match the colour. This is the most difficult and frustrating part as paint dries to a different colour as to that when it is applied.
The other answer is to get the work done by an expert and if you want any information on possible contacts please email us.
The final stage is to get some Cherry Blossom neutral shoe polish and work with a soft cloth to get as much shine as possible. It is amazing just what a difference good restoration can make to an enamel sign.

CLOCKS

If you obtain a clock in ex loco condition you can do whatever you like to get it working properly but the easiest way to remove value is to have the face restored.     Only do this if it is essential to make the clock acceptable for use. Railway clocks are so much more expensive than a duplicate non-railway clock that you must do nothing to remove its authenticity. If you just want a nice clock for the house you could get a much superior non railway clock for the same money. Restored clocks can often be faked so only buy from a reputable auction or dealer.

SILVERPLATE

There are a vast number of railway silver plated items around and again once purchased should you get a dull item replated? I would suggest a good clean first and see if you can live with it in its original guise and only as a resort have it done. Many collectors will only buy original items and by replating you will limit your market if you wish to sell in the future. If you are buying I would suggest you look out for good original items and avoid the reworked ones.

ALL OTHER ITEMS

I feel the best general approach is to leave an item as close as possible to its ex loco condition unless it spoils its impact on display. Always remember that the market prefers original items so don’t restore unless you want to keep your Railwayana relic for ever! 

Do you restore this or leave it just as it was found?
You have to decide.

Updated 1^st December 2006

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