Most expensive loco nameplates

[Justin Smith]

(List updated to 29 Apr 26)
If anyone sees any errors or omissions please post on this thread or PM me.

Steam locomotive nameplates over £32,000 (Diesel/electric loco plates are listed below steam):

Flying Scotsman original plate (A1/A3) - Nov 18 - £64,500
Golden Fleece (A4) – Dec 04 - £60,000
City of London (Duchess) – Mar 06 - £55,000
Sir William Stanier FRS (Duchess) – Sept 02 - £54,400
Cock O’ The North (P2) – Dec 03 – £54,000
615 Squadron c/w crest (B of B) – Dec 02 - £45,800
King Edward III (King) – Dec 02 - £45,000
Eupatoria (GWR broad gauge) - Dec 05 - £43,000
Cunard White Star (MN) - Dec 18 - £42,000
Falcon (A4) – Jun 05 - £41,000
King George VI (King) – Jun 06 - £40,500
City of Carlisle (Duchess) – Dec 00 – £40,200
Canadian Pacific original plate (MN) - Mar 19 - £40,000
Guillemot (A4) - Dec 23 - £38,500
Rover (Rover GWR broad gauge) – Dec 00 - £38,200
Royal Mail (MN) - Dec 16 - £38,000
King Edward VI (King) – Oct 00 - £37,500
Evesham Abbey (Castle) – Dec 02 - £37,400
General Steam Navigation (MN) – May 02 - £37,000
Eclipse (Bulldog) – May 02 - £36,600
601 Squadron (B of B) Mar 07 - £35,500
Merlin (A4) - Nov 21 - £35,000
Lockheed Hudson (Castle) – Dec 03 - £35,000
Duchess of Devonshire (Duchess) – Jun 99 - £34,200
Guillemot (A4) - Nov 16 - £33,500
257 Squadron (B of B) - Mar 19 - £33,500
Kingfisher (A4) - Jul 19 - £32,000

Diesel / electric locomotive nameplates over £10,000 :

Prince of Wales's own regiment of Yorkshire (Deltic) - Feb 25 - £35,100
Ballymoss (Deltic) - Mar 23 - £32,400
Duke Of Wellington’s Regiment (Deltic) – Dec 02 - £31,400
The Green Howards (Deltic) – Sept 02 - £25,000
Falcon c/w crest (Prototype) – Aug ? 04 - £22,500
Tommy (EM1) - Sept 01 - £22,200
Western Pathfinder - Jul 19 - £15,500
Neptune (Class 50) - Jul 23 - £15,000
Western Patriarch - Nov 25 - £15,000
Western Thunderer - Nov 24 - £14,500
Highland Chieftain (HST) - Nov 20 - £13,900
Western Vanguard - Apr 17 - £13,500
Bulldog (C41 Warship) - Feb 26 - £13,100
Royal Highland Fusilier (Deltic) – Dec 99 - £13,000
Spartan (Warship) - Jul 24 - £13,000
Sir Edward Elgar (Class 50) - Jul 16 - £12,400
Lucania (Class 40) - Oct 23 - £12,000
Western Governor - Oct 23 - £12,000
Western Warrior - Sept 25 -£12,000
Western Lord - Mar 26 - £12,000
The Staffordshire Regiment (P of W) (Class 45) - Mar 20 - £11,600
Invincible (Class 50) - Jul 22 - £11,500
Trojan (Warship) - Jul 25 - £11,500
The Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers (Class 45) - Jun 22 - £11,400
Nimbus (Deltic) – Jun 98 - £11,000
Prometheus (Class 76) - Feb 25 - £11,000
Western Monarch - Jul 21 - £11,000
Honourable Artillery Company (Class 45) - Nov 25 - £11,000
Ivernia (Class 40) - Jul 21 - £10,600
Sharpshooter (Warship) - Mar 24 - £10,200
Lady Diana Spencer (Class 47) – Dec 99 - £10,200
Illustrious (Class 50) Jul 19 - £10,200
Royal Sovereign (Class 87) - Oct 22 - £10,000
Carmania (Class 40) - Sept 18 - £10,000
The King's Shropshire Light Infantry (C45) - Feb 26 - £10,000
Royal Marines (C45) - Mar 26 - £10,000

The diesel threshold for inclusion was originally £6,000 but the list was getting too long, so on the 30 Dec 24 the threshold was increased to £10,000. The full list (of 60 diesel/electric nameplates over £6,000) on that date can be found on this post.

As at 29 April 2026 the most expensive steam nameplate is (an original) Flying Scotsman (class A1/A3) at £64,500
The most expensive diesel nameplate is Prince of Wales's own regiment of Yorkshire (Deltic) at £35,100
The most expensive electric nameplate is Tommy (prototype class 76) at £22,200

Reminder : Control +F will search out all names in the list (well on the whole page actually !)

Auction results
Great Central (incl Sheffield Railwayana)
Great Western
Crewe
Talisman (not currently "searchable" ?)

 

[pdeaves]

PS If anyone wants to buy me Silverlink`s plate I wouldn`t say no, perhaps for an Xmas pressie ?

Like this?

 

[EbbwJunction1]

I don't know about a list, but GCR Auctions have this (among others) for sale in their next Auction, which is tomorrow:

Auction Catalogue: Great Central Railwayana, 7 December 2019

Lot 138 A nameplate, WILD SWAN, from the LNER A4 Class 4-6-2 No 4467 built at Doncaster, Works No 1869, in February 1938, renumbered 21 in May 1946, becoming BR 60021. Allocated new to Kings Cross and two months later to Grantham where it spent twelve years, returning to Kings Cross in 1950. After thirteen years at Top Shed it departed at the very end to New England from where it was withdrawn on 20 October 1963 and cut up at Doncaster Works during the first week of January 1964. Cast brass, 57½" long, the front repainted but unpolished. £35000-40000

They seem to be the same company as Sheffield Railwayana, as there's references to the former on the latter's web site. Here's a link to the GCRA web site: https://www.gcrauctions.com/ - if you're thinking of buying, best of luck!!

 

[Justin Smith]

I don't know about a list, but GCR Auctions have this (among others) for sale in their next Auction, which is tomorrow:

Auction Catalogue: Great Central Railwayana, 7 December 2019

Lot 138 A nameplate, WILD SWAN, from the LNER A4 Class 4-6-2 No 4467 built at Doncaster, Works No 1869, in February 1938, renumbered 21 in May 1946, becoming BR 60021. Allocated new to Kings Cross and two months later to Grantham where it spent twelve years, returning to Kings Cross in 1950. After thirteen years at Top Shed it departed at the very end to New England from where it was withdrawn on 20 October 1963 and cut up at Doncaster Works during the first week of January 1964. Cast brass, 57½" long, the front repainted but unpolished. £35000-40000

They seem to be the same company as Sheffield Railwayana, as there's references to the former on the latter's web site. Here's a link to the GCRA web site: https://www.gcrauctions.com/ - if you're thinking of buying, best of luck!!

Oh no I`m not after buying, I haven`t got a spare £30K and even if I had the wife would possibly object to be blowing it on a loco nameplate ! It was just out of interest, we were talking at work about just how much these plates are worth.

 

[CrepelloD9012]

There is a regularly updated guide book printed and available on a stall at Railwayana auctions including Great Central RA, GWRA, Talisman and GNRA. Heritage diesel and Modern Traction as well as Steam list are included....A3 FLYING SCOTSMAN made £64,500 plus BP and VAT at GWRA.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

I don't think that it's the same thing, but there's always a double page spread in the RCTS's "Railway Observer" from Great Central RA advertising their next auctions and giving examples of what they've recently sold and the prices. The January 2020 issue has the following:
6231 Duchess of Atholl - £39,000
6103 Royal Scots Fusilier - £32,000
60847 St Peter's School AD627 - £24,000.

They're all way beyond my pocket …. !

 

[Bevan Price]

I don't think that it's the same thing, but there's always a double page spread in the RCTS's "Railway Observer" from Great Central RA advertising their next auctions and giving examples of what they've recently sold and the prices. The January 2020 issue has the following:
6231 Duchess of Atholl - £39,000
6103 Royal Scots Fusilier - £32,000
60847 St Peter's School AD627 - £24,000.

They're all way beyond my pocket …. !

A bit of a change since the 1950s when loco works sold some nameplates (and numberplates) for little more than scrap value -- until someone realised they were becoming a lot more valuable.

 

[Justin Smith]

I don't know about a list, but GCR Auctions have this (among others) for sale in their next Auction, which is tomorrow:

Auction Catalogue: Great Central Railwayana, 7 December 2019

Lot 138 A nameplate, WILD SWAN, from the LNER A4 Class 4-6-2 No 4467 built at Doncaster, Works No 1869, in February 1938, renumbered 21 in May 1946, becoming BR 60021. Allocated new to Kings Cross and two months later to Grantham where it spent twelve years, returning to Kings Cross in 1950. After thirteen years at Top Shed it departed at the very end to New England from where it was withdrawn on 20 October 1963 and cut up at Doncaster Works during the first week of January 1964. Cast brass, 57½" long, the front repainted but unpolished. £35000-40000

They seem to be the same company as Sheffield Railwayana, as there's references to the former on the latter's web site. Here's a link to the GCRA web site: https://www.gcrauctions.com/ - if you're thinking of buying, best of luck!!

Apparently it went for £30,000.

 

[HSP 2]

..A3 FLYING SCOTSMAN made £64,500 plus BP and VAT at GWRA.

So that's at least 3 Flying Scotsman plates running about!!!!!!! Plus one more unless it was the one that has been sold.

 

[CrepelloD9012]

The two on the loco are replicas.....the original recently sold went to Canada or USA I believe and the other original resides here in the UK. These two originals are in fact the second plates carried by 4472 from around the late 1920s....the first plates were shorter and thinner castings with condensed lettering and were replaced due to stress cracking.

 

[70014IronDuke]

A bit of a change since the 1950s when loco works sold some nameplates (and numberplates) for little more than scrap value -- until someone realised they were becoming a lot more valuable.

I went to Eastleigh one day in 1965 or 66, and met some older lads who came from Worcester, IIRC. In the subsequent platform chat, one told the story of how a friend had been saving up to get married somewhere around 1960-61 time, and had something like £600 in the bank when the female in the story pulled out. So jilted chappie spent the entire savings on name & number plates - all at scrap value. Apparently, even in those early days of railwayana, he was already a rich man.

 

[CrepelloD9012]

In the early 1960s GWR nameplates were £7 10 shillings and cabside numberplates half that!. Due to high demand Swindon increased its prices by 100%... nameplates now being £15! Even taking this into consideration that's a hell of a lot of plates for £600!!!!!

 

[Justin Smith]

Ahhh ! Today I found a load of name plate prices I'd noted down over the years and have listed the top ones (diesel/elec below, and steam in eth post below that). I'm not saying these are comprehensive and/or up to date lists (perhaps others could add info they may be aware of), though I'd be surprised if the two top prices in each category have changed.
I must say I am also surprised there is no existing list of expensive nameplates on the web, if there is I can't find it and neither can anyone who has read this thread, up to now anyway ! There did used to be such lists, I'm sure of it because I printed out from them back in 2007 ! Is it that people think it may encourage theft ? But, of course, if one of these plates were stolen it wouldn't be worth anywhere near the prices listed below, plus, I'd have thought, the chances of the crime never being "solved" are quite remote.

List moved to the opener.

 

[Justin Smith]

List moved to the opener

It makes you wonder how much "Silver Link" (A4) would be worth, though, of course, that is complicated by the fact there are 4 plates !
Other potential record breakers ? Which one of the following (or A N Other) do the esteemed readers of this forum think would be the most valuable ?
North Star (GWR), The Great Bear (GWR), Iron Duke (GWR [broad]), Coronation (Duchess), Papyrus (A3), Silver Fox (A4), Great Northern (GNR), Channel Packet (MN).

(2 Mar 20 added Flying Scotsman nameplate sale)

 

[Justin Smith]

I must say I am also surprised there is no existing list of expensive nameplates on the web, if there is I can't find it and neither can anyone who has read this thread, up to now anyway ! There did used to be such lists, I'm sure of it because I printed out from them back in 2007 ! Is it that people think it may encourage theft ? But, of course, if one of these plates were stolen it wouldn't be worth anywhere near the prices listed below, plus, I'd have thought, the chances of the crime never being "solved" are quite remote.

Actually, having thought about it, and being a natural cynic, I reckon the reason the Railwayana companies no longer publicise lists of the most valuable plates is because the prices have dropped ? That may well be more a reflection of the economic situation than anything else, in which case I think they may keep dropping for the next few years at least !

 

[pdeaves]

Mildly interesting to see that the 'cheapest' steam plate on your list is more than the highest diesel plate.

 

[Justin Smith]

Mildly interesting to see that the 'cheapest' steam plate on your list is more than the highest diesel plate.

That should not be taken too literally, I just used that as a point to stop the list, there are dozens more on the record list.

 

[70014IronDuke]

Actually, having thought about it, and being a natural cynic, I reckon the reason the Railwayana companies no longer publicise lists of the most valuable plates is because the prices have dropped ? That may well be more a reflection of the economic situation than anything else, in which case I think they may keep dropping for the next few years at least !

The effects of the Grim Reaper may also be coming into play. I see the name "City of London" and I immediately remember seeing that locomotive - my first Coronation - glinting gloriously in the mid-day sun at Nuneaton. But anyone born after 1960 will have no real memory of express steam locomotives, and no personal affinity to "Blink Bonny" or "Defiant" or "Elaine" (unless she's the other half, I suppose), nor a thousand other named locos. Even if you live in some random Castle, Hall, Grange or Manor named by Paddington, it might be fun to have the nameplate, but if you don't actually remember steam, you'd perhaps rather spend the money on the upkeep of the shack itself.

 

[Justin Smith]

The effects of the Grim Reaper may also be coming into play. I see the name "City of London" and I immediately remember seeing that locomotive - my first Coronation - glinting gloriously in the mid-day sun at Nuneaton. But anyone born after 1960 will have no real memory of express steam locomotives, and no personal affinity to "Blink Bonny" or "Defiant" or "Elaine" (unless she's the other half, I suppose), nor a thousand other named locos. Even if you live in some random Castle, Hall, Grange or Manor named by Paddington, it might be fun to have the nameplate, but if you don't actually remember steam, you'd perhaps rather spend the money on the upkeep of the shack itself.

That is a good point, nostalgia is a powerful force and there's a lot of money in it, but it would not explain the quite sudden drop off in nameplate values. On the other hand I suppose the very low interest rates might encourage people to put their money into other stuff, like loco nameplates.
I was born in 1963 but would still love, say, Silver Link or Sliver Fox or some other famous A4 plate. If your theory is correct, and I'd have thought there must be something in it, that should mean that "modern traction" plates go up in value but they also seem to have stalled at the same time as steam.

 

[70014IronDuke]

That is a good point, nostalgia is a powerful force and there's a lot of money in it, but it would not explain the quite sudden drop off in nameplate values. On the other hand I suppose the very low interest rates might encourage people to put their money into other stuff, like loco nameplates.
I was born in 1963 but would still love, say, Silver Link or Sliver Fox or some other famous A4 plate. If your theory is correct, and I'd have thought there must be something in it, that should mean that "modern traction" plates go up in value but they also seem to have stalled at the same time as steam.

Do you believe that people buy plates primarily for investment? I doubt it.

The demand for any good or service can be complicated to determine, and obviously, nobody buys something hoping it will go down in value, but I'd wager the vast majority of railwayana sales are due to some form of emotional attachment.

I mean, how many folks could announce in their club: "I've bought Meg Merrilies's nameplate!" and expect a standing ovation? It's not like a Picasso painting, where some art ignoramus of an owner can expect special kudos for splashing out on some otherwise little-known, and probably little-appreciated, artwork.

As for modern traction plates, let me tell you that as a 10-year old, I remember how the number of trainspotters simply evaported to near zero at our local evening spotting place from one year to the next between 1962 and 63 when my line (MML) was dieselised. In 61-62 summers, you could expect 4-5, maybe 6 spotters. In 63, all had gone, including me after a few evenings. Dieselisation (and electrification) meant the end of 'the rare cop' of a steam locomotive from another area or region, and, for many, the end of the fun of spotting. You had to be hard core after that to carry on after that experience. Some did, naturally, but the fall off in interest was dramatic.

Of course, some plates will always have a certain allure, even for those like yourself who never saw steam in action on a 'real' basis. But who today is really going to pay £30,000, or even £10,000 for, say, a 2 1/2-foot long bit of cast iron spelling out "Sansovino" or even "Bechuanaland" to hang over the fireplace for their own satisfaction if these names did not bring back personal memories?

 

[Justin Smith]

Do you believe that people buy plates primarily for investment? I doubt it.

The demand for any good or service can be complicated to determine, and obviously, nobody buys something hoping it will go down in value, but I'd wager the vast majority of railwayana sales are due to some form of emotional attachment.

I think it's both, an interest but also an investment. Buying something you have an interest in but you also think it'll hold its value, even if you're unsure it'll actually go up in value, is one thing, doing the same when you feel it may go down a lot is quite another.

 

[Justin Smith]

As for modern traction plates, let me tell you that as a 10-year old, I remember how the number of trainspotters simply evaported to near zero at our local evening spotting place from one year to the next between 1962 and 63 when my line (MML) was dieselised. In 61-62 summers, you could expect 4-5, maybe 6 spotters. In 63, all had gone, including me after a few evenings. Dieselisation (and electrification) meant the end of 'the rare cop' of a steam locomotive from another area or region, and, for many, the end of the fun of spotting. You had to be hard core after that to carry on after that experience. Some did, naturally, but the fall off in interest was dramatic.

Of course, some plates will always have a certain allure, even for those like yourself who never saw steam in action on a 'real' basis. But who today is really going to pay £30,000, or even £10,000 for, say, a 2 1/2-foot long bit of cast iron spelling out "Sansovino" or even "Bechuanaland" to hang over the fireplace for their own satisfaction if these names did not bring back personal memories?

I used to be spotter in the 70s and there were still of loads around, far more than you get now, and the average age was also much lower. Most of the spotters I see (when I take my lad to Doncaster to see the trains) are middle aged.

 

[70014IronDuke]

I used to be spotter in the 70s and there were still of loads around, far more than you get now, and the average age was also much lower. Most of the spotters I see (when I take my lad to Doncaster to see the trains) are middle aged.

There may have been 'loads around' in your eyes in the 70s - I can only repeat what I saw with my own eyes - dieselisation and electrification decimated the numbers of trainspotters between 1960 and 1970. And, if anyone had done proper studies, I also suspect that the length of time kids spent on the hobby once they started was, on average, far shorter after the end of steam. There were simply far fewer locomotives and many of those worked far greater distances, and so were easier to 'cop'.

If you went to a station like Hitchin at the southern end of the ECML in 1960, you would find scribbled in biro on the station fencing poignant lines like "I died here waiting for Captain Cuttle" - referring to the A3, which for many years was shedded in the north east (Neville Hill or Darlington, I think) - because such engines were rarities south of Grantham, where they normally changed locos. Same on the WCML: you could stand for eternity at Watford Jcn hoping to see a Polmadie Scot or Duchess, or even a Bank Hall Jubilee. Such locomotives were highly elusive down south - and so part of the hope and fun. (And ditto, of course, for locos common darn sarf, for the spotters ooop north.)

But even a couple of years later, Deltics and Cl 47s would be working trains every day throughout from Aberdeen to Kings Cross. A few days spotting at Hitchen and you could clear your 22 Deltics - which then, at least for many, lost their allure.

The numbers you experienced on the platforms at Doncaster in 1975 would probably be exceeded by those at relatively non-entity stations like Retford or Lichfield in 1960.

 

[Justin Smith]

Railway Magzine Dec 2020 p11 :was
HST name plates over £6,000 sold 14th Nov 20 - "Highland Chieftain" for £13,900, "Caigentinny" for £6,500 and National Railway Museum 1975 - 2015 for £6,100 (all via GW Railwayana Auctions).

Added to updated list in the opener.

 

[pdeaves]

Not wishing to be picky, but your narrative says "Highland Chieftain" for £13,900, then the list below Highland Chieftain (HST) - Nov 20 - £16,500. Both values cannot be correct!

 

[Justin Smith]

Not wishing to be picky, but your narrative says "Highland Chieftain" for £13,900, then the list below Highland Chieftain (HST) - Nov 20 - £16,500. Both values cannot be correct!

No it's helpful, it's a typo, it should be £13,900. I will update the list.

 

[52290]

I went with my cousin to a sale of name and number plates at Derby works around 1965. My cousin bought a Jubilee and a B1 for £15 each. Duchesses were on sale for £55. We both wished we had bought one of those but it seemed an enormous amount at the time. My cousins wife wasn't pleased that he'd spent £30 on two lumps of metal.

 

[Poolie]

What sort of documentation/proof is there that a name or numberplate is genuine? Or indeed a lot of railway relics that sell for a lot of money. I can't imagine there is much supporting paperwork for items from the 50/60's.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

What sort of documentation/proof is there that a name or numberplate is genuine? Or indeed a lot of railway relics that sell for a lot of money. I can't imagine there is much supporting paperwork for items from the 50/60's.

As I've never been to an auction of this kind, I can't be certain what happens. However, this is an extract from the Terms and Conditions of Great Central Railwayana, who I referred to above (post No. 3):

"8 Condition of lots
Subject to Condition 11, (a) lots are sold with all faults and imperfections and neither the Seller nor the Auctioneer is responsible for any defects whatsoever; (b) no warranty is given or authorised to be given by the Seller or the Auctioneer with regard to any lot other than that the Seller has the right to sell it; (c) any express or implied conditions or warranties whether relating to description or quality, are hereby excluded.

9 Inspection
Ample opportunity is given for viewing and the Buyer, by making a bid, acknowledges that he has satisfied himself fully before bidding, by inspection or otherwise, as to its condition. This includes the physical condition and description, including, but not restricted to, whether the lot is damaged or has been repaired.

10 Catalogue descriptions
The Auctioneer undertakes that care has been taken to see that catalogue descriptions, including rarity, origin and condition, are accurate and reliable, taking into account all the information available when the catalogue was prepared, but these are necessarily matters of opinion only and shall not be taken to be statements of fact. Subject to Condition 11 neither the Seller nor the Auctioneer is responsible for the correctness of any description. Any comments on the catalogue, lots or descriptions should be made to the Auctioneer at least seven days before the date of the sale and not any later as this provides no opportunity to check any queries.

11 Forgeries
Notwithstanding Conditions 8, 9 and 10, if the Auctioneer receives notice in writing from the Buyer within 7 days of the sale that in the Buyer’s opinion a lot is a forgery, and on giving such notification the lot in question is returned to the Auctioneer at their working premises in the same condition as when bought, then if, on considering such evidence as the Buyer supplies to prove the Buyer’s assertion, the Auctioneer decides that the lot is a forgery the sale of the lot will be rescinded and the purchase price repaid to the Buyer."

I don't know what they'd do with the item if it was returned to them, proved to be a forgery and a refund made. I assume that they'd refer the matter to HM Constabulary for them to take action as necessary.

 

[Trackman]

I don't know what they'd do with the item if it was returned to them, proved to be a forgery and a refund made. I assume that they'd refer the matter to HM Constabulary for them to take action as necessary.

I know some eagle eyed collectors who have seen suspect nameplates and in fact builders plates which seem to have been circulating on the likes of eBay, claiming they are original.
The devil is in the detail.