A fascinating selection of original 1961 British Railways excursion programmes/leaflets produced for outings organised in connection with the British Railways Women’s Organisation, offered individually from the drop-down menu.

These are particularly attractive pieces of social as well as railway history. They record organised leisure travel by rail at a time when special excursions formed an important part of the railway calendar, and provide considerably more information than a simple excursion handbill.

The 1961 programme offered a remarkably varied range of destinations. Examples in this selection include Bedford and Woburn Abbey; the Isle of Arran; the Kyles of Bute and Dunoon; Stratford-on-Avon; Oxford and Blenheim; Edinburgh; and other destinations. The collection therefore gives a splendid impression of the breadth of organised excursion travel available from the West Riding at the beginning of the 1960s, ranging from historic English towns and country houses to major Scottish cities and scenic tours of western Scotland.

Of particular West Riding interest is the detailed information concerning the outward journey. The programmes list the various departure stations, all lying within what was then the West Riding of Yorkshire, together with the appropriate departure times. This makes the group especially interesting for collectors of Yorkshire railway history and local social history, since individual programmes can be associated not merely with their destination but with the particular West Riding communities from which the excursionists travelled.

The combination of named West Riding departure stations and times, destination information and descriptive text for the excursion itself gives these pieces an unusually strong period flavour. They are evocative survivals of the organised railway excursion era and of the social activities associated with British Railways and its employees and families during the early 1960s.

DATE

All examples in this listing date from 1961. Please select the required programme/date from the drop-down menu. Price is per programme. The photographs form an important part of the description and show the individual programme being offered.

SIZE

Approximately 255 mm x 178 mm when opened out. Each has its original central fold and will be posted folded along that existing fold.

These 1960 programmes form part of a much larger collection of similar British Railways Women’s Organisation excursion material covering the years 1960 to 1968. The collection is being offered in separate eBay listings arranged by individual year, so please see our other listings for further programmes.

CONDITION

Generally very good condition for original paper railway ephemera of this age. The programmes are intact and have survived particularly well. Please note that every example has a small suspension/pin hole at the upper left when the programme is opened out, evidently where it was originally hung or displayed. This is a consistent feature of the group rather than later major damage. One or two have minor marks. Nothing serious. There may, naturally, be minor handling or age-related marks commensurate with material dating from 1960; please study the photographs of the individual item selected.

An excellent opportunity to acquire original British Railways social and excursion ephemera with strong West Riding associations. Particularly suitable for collectors of British Railways material, Yorkshire railway history, excursion and special-train ephemera, women’s and social history, or the individual destinations and departure stations represented.

MULTIPLE PURCHASES

These are being offered individually through the drop-down menu. Substantial discounts are available for multiple purchases as follows...

Buy 2 or more for a 10% refund. 

Buy 4 or more for a 15% refund... or 

Buy 6 or more for a 30% refund. (Refunds will be applied throughout any of the year listings so you can pick and mix !) 

You’re welcome to view and collect from us, SK13 8EQ. Please contact us beforehand.

Many thanks for looking.