Can anyone help?

[Alexandra]

Hello!

I wonder if anyone here can help me. I am writing a novel set in the 1880's that has several rail journeys in it but no matter how hard I try, I cannot find any pictures or references to Victorian departure boards. In fact, the term "departure board" doesn't seem to appear in English until the 1920's!

So, if I was at Victoria station in 1883, what means would there have been to let me know the times and platforms of trains? Of course I could ask a member of staff but that would be impractical at a big station at busy times and there must have been some means of notifying people of delays and platform changes etc.

I really would be enormously grateful for any help!

Alexandra.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Might be worth your while spending a bit of time on the Francis Frith website; there's quite a number of fascinating old railway pictures in their archive.

 

[142094]

Chalk boards? That would be my first guess. Berwick on Tweed had them until relatively recently. There is an old 'departure board' type machine at the NRM from Bishop Auckland station I think, this was on a roller system so the handle was turned at the correct time and the next departures would show up, including the stations the train called at.

 

[Alexandra]

Excellent suggestions - thank you both very much. I have found a picture on-line for the scrolling departure board too - very interesting!

Alexandra.