Take the train with CLA

Public Auctions

Session 1 (Lots: 601 - 946)
Wednesday November 11, 2009 18:00 pm

Session 2 (Lots: 947 - 1409) (includes Railway)
Thursday November 12, 2009 18:00 pm

View the railway lots from this article
Article by Albert Isaacs

Charles Leski Auctions has built a fine reputation for buying and selling top quality railway collectibles. We are currently offering a prestigious deceased estate, consisting of material, mainly from NSW, but with a smattering of interesting Victorian items.

The collection includes rarely seen material. It is suspected that the original collector utilised a number of in-house railway sources, thus giving him access to material not available on the open market. Many of the pieces being offered are unique or rare.

100 items are being offered in our Public Auction No. 358 to be held at 6pm on 12th November 2009. Further material will be offered in our December sale.

So, what are the highlights of the November sale? Let’s deal with the NSW material first and then look at Victoria.

A feature are a number of individual hand-painted signs with details of specific trains – the original collector appears to have obtained a number of these one-off items, presumably before the majority were destroyed. Interestingly, there are a range of signs for passenger trains, as displayed at Sydney’s Central station, as well as similar signs pertaining to parcel’s vans and parcel’s trains as used at the Regent Street parcels centre; there is even one sign for a freight train that would have left Darling Harbour (when it was the railways’ freight hub) bound for the Cootamundra Freight Centre.

All of these signs, whether used at Central, Regent Street or Darling Harbour, have similar style and format and appear to be the work of a small group of railway-employed sign-writers. There are two general groupings of signs: those that appear to be C1950s with three-dimensional frames; and C 1970s, plush but with a painted frame.



Also included are the following signs:
  • "Refreshments", with pointing hand.
  • Carriage sign "MHO 2131 Luggage Van".
  • Heavy NSW target-style station names (Maldon, Beecroft & Kerrs Creek).
  • A very long (36x322cm) platform sign from Locksley.
  • Unusual Locksley platform signs with picked-out lettering.
  • "All engines must BLOW DOWN at this point before Departure. …" Hmm!
  • "The Ashpan Must Be Flushed Every Time The Fire Is Cleaned Also Every 30 Miles When Running On Passsenger And Every 15 When Running On Mixed And Goods Trains."
  • Hanging destination boards including NSW Bathgates.
  • 19th century "General Waiting Room" sign with wall bracket.
  • Builder’s plates – always popular with Leski customers. (More will be offered in the December auction.)



Also in this auction are:

  • Framed, scenic photographs from country carriages.
  • "Model Of Southern Valve Gear", with plaque: "Made by Apprentice Training Section Eveleigh Loco Workshops".
  • Model of a Locomotive Brake, which also appears to be apprentice made.
  • Large varnished wood facsimiles of locomotive wheels (like the ARHS logo), probably made for display purposes. (129cm diameter; 6.5cm thick). Endorsed for C30 locomotives 3708 or 3709.
  • Platform light, locomotive air chimes, Edmondson rack, with tickets, lamps, rollingstock blueprints, track & signalling diagrams, posters etc
  • Luggage rack, with pierced letters “NSWGR” in the wall bracket.


  • Signal arms and finials.
  • Uniforms and hats.
  • "38 Miles to Griffith Bros Tea"! An iconic advertising sign!


The Victorian pieces being offered include:

  • Tram destination rolls, C1960s/70s
  • Luggage Rack complete with a section from a Tait carriage with varnished wood and embossed patterned metal and the "For Better Travelling" sign.


In summary, this auction contains material that should appeal to individual collectors, railway museums, tourist railways, and retail on-sellers.