Most expensive loco nameplates

[Trackman]

Yes, £41k could be perceived as a seemingly misleading boast from the auction house.

At 35k it would still be a record though in the Diesel / electric nameplates over £6000 category.

 

[Justin Smith]

I've seen that on the auction website, it seems the figure is with commission as it sold for £35k, unless it's a typo or something.
The nameplate doesn't look like it had a clean since it was removed from the loco!

Yes, £41k could be perceived as a seemingly misleading boast from the auction house.

Surely the commission wouldn't be £6,000 ! Actually it might be... Nice work if you can get it.....
£41,418 must be a typo (or include the not normally quoted commission) anyway because Crewe auctions themselves say they only go up in £5 minimum. Crewe themselves (in their Feb 2025 results) quote £35,100.
But it does raise an awkward question as to what the value (for the purposes of the list) actually is.
Since finding out what the commission may not be that easy, it would certainly complicate things, I would say just quote what the auction house reports ?

Of interest is the (not unexpected) dominance of Deltic plates, which doesn't surprise me at all because I'd like a Deltic plate on my wall !
As at 26 Feb 25 the top seven modern traction nameplates were :

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

The top four places are all Deltic, then two historic plates, so the next "standard" plate is Western Pathfinder at "only" £15,500, nearly £10k less than "cheapest" post 2000 Deltic plate : The Green Howards at £25k.

 

[Trackman]

Surely the commission wouldn't be £6,000 !
£41,418 must be a typo (or include the not normally quoted commission) anyway because Crewe auctions themselves say they only go up in £5 minimum. Crewe themselves (in their Feb 2025 results) quote £35,100.
But it does raise an awkward question as to what the value (for the purposes of the list) actually is.
Since finding out what the commission may not be that easy, it would certainly complicate things, I would say just quote what the auction house reports ?

18% according to their website, if it's not a commission /phone bid, you would have to be a floor bidder to get 15% commission.
To cap it all, there's 20% VAT on top so it would have been £49,701.60p

 

[Magdalia]

18% according to their website, if it's not a commission /phone bid, you would have to be a floor bidder to get 15% commission.
To cap it all, there's 20% VAT on top so it would have been £49,701.60p

That's not correct.

There is no VAT on the hammer price. The value added on the nameplate was in 1963, not now.

There is VAT on the auctioneer's commission. I suspect that the 18% includes VAT, though I can't find confirmation of that on the website.

 

[Trackman]

That's not correct.

There is no VAT on the hammer price. The value added on the nameplate was in 1963, not now.

There is VAT on the auctioneer's commission. I suspect that the 18% includes VAT, though I can't find confirmation of that on the website.

You're right, it's the buyer's premium which is subject to VAT.
Still, it doesn't add up if the hammer price was £35k.
All a bit confusing.. Anyway, here's what the auction site says: https://www.ukrailwayana.com/downloads/terms14.pdf

The Purchase Price: As Buyer, you will pay: a) the Hammer Price; b) a premium of 15% of the
Hammer Price if bidding in the room, telephone bidding or leaving a commission bid directly
with RAUK; a premium of 15% plus VAT on the Hammer Price = 18% total , will be charged on
all bids. Vendor’s charges for entering items will remain at 10% + VAT - total 12%.

 

[Magdalia]

Still, it doesn't add up if the hammer price was £35k.

35k hammer price plus 18% commission (including VAT) comes to £41300.

 

[Trackman]

35k hammer price plus 18% commission (including VAT) comes to £41300.

I'm being pedantic, final figure was £41418 - must be a hidden cost somewhere

 

[Mag_seven]

(List updated to 26 Feb 25)
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 Thunderer - Nov 24 - £14,500
Highland Chieftain (HST) - Nov 20 - £13,900
Western Vanguard - Apr 17 - £13,500
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
The Staffordshire Regiment (P of W) (Class 45) - Mar 20 - £11,600
Invincible (Class 50) - Jul 22 - £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
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 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 Mar 25 the most expensive steam nameplate is (an original) Flying Scotsman at £64,500
The most expensive diesel nameplate is Prince of Wales's own regiment of Yorkshire at £35,100
The most expensive electric nameplate is Tommy 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" ?)

Thread reopened

 

[Justin Smith]

Updated the list to 24 Sept.
Two additions "Western Warrior" went for £12,000 in Sept (at the Great Central Auctions) and "Trojan" for £11,500 in July (at the Great Western Auction).
I was slightly surprised that the Merchant Navy plate "United States Line" did not break into the Steam most expensive plates list as it went for 'only' £27,500 back in Sept 25 (at the Great Central Auctions). I half expected one of our Trans Atlantic cousins to pay some ludicrous price for it !

 

[Brightonboy]

Not a nameplate but similar... When the 4-CIGs (or possibly 4-VEPs) were first introduced they had metal double arrows on the cab sides and by the mid 70's they were being replaced by painted/transferred versions. I managed to afford one of the metal ones from the BR disposal shop near Euston around 1975. Not sure if it is still around in my house or was disposed of from my Mum's when she passed away. I wonder how many are still around and what they're worth now?

 

[Justin Smith]

List updated to include GWR Nov auction :

Honourable Artillery Company (Class 45) - Nov 25 - £11,000
and
Western Patriarch - Nov 25 - £15,000

Manchester City (B17) went for £17,000 but that was still well below the £32,000 steam nameplate threshold

 

[Mag_seven]

(List updated to 28 Nov 25)
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
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
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 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 November 2025 the most expensive steam nameplate is (an original) Flying Scotsman at £64,500
The most expensive diesel nameplate is Prince of Wales's own regiment of Yorkshire at £35,100
The most expensive electric nameplate is Tommy 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" ?)

Open for update.

 

[Justin Smith]

Last updated 29 Apr 26 for :

Bulldog (C41 Warship) - Feb 26 - £13,100
Western Lord - Mar 26 - £12,000
Royal Marines (C45) - Mar 26 - £10,000
The King's Shropshire Light Infantry (C45) - Feb 26 - £10,000

Note how again there were no Steam Plates above the £32,000 threshold, in fact any where near it.
EAST ASIATIC COMPANY (Merchant Navy Class) went for £14,500, Yeovil (West Country) for £15,000 and perhaps most surprisingly Yarmouth (LBSCR E1 0-6-0T ! ) for £19,500

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Not quite nameplates sorry but just sent the following for auction. 32A shedplate, 55C shedplate, Brush Traction worksplate and E3027 number plate. Estimating circa £2500 so not too bad. I am regretting not storing them more carefully.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Surprisingly some ex loco condition items sell better than those that have been restored. The 55C plate looks particularly attractive.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Surprisingly some ex loco condition items sell better than those that have been restored. The 55C plate looks particularly attractive.

Although I agree, because I am 70 next year I am doing some early estate planning. My wife said they all would have gone in the skip!!! yikes

 

[Ashley Hill]

My wife said they all would have gone in the skip!!! yikes

It does worry me that things like that probably happen.

 

[Merle Haggard]

Surprisingly some ex loco condition items sell better than those that have been restored. The 55C plate looks particularly attractive.

That's because there are a lot of 'replica' shed plates about; they were sold openly as such to raise funds for loco preservation. Some don't even have holes big enough for the standard sets! (3/8 BSF I think).
The 'plates in the photos are obviously genuine and it would be quite difficult to make a replica look as authentic.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

The 'plates in the photos are obviously genuine and it would be quite difficult to make a replica look as authentic.

I acquired them in 1972/73

 

[Ashley Hill]

That's because there are a lot of 'replica' shed plates about; they were sold openly as such to raise funds for loco preservation.

Also because some collectors prefer the “as removed” genuinely untouched look.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Apparently, I was told, these will not be worth much and I was advised to sell them on ebay.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Years ago these plates did appear at auctions, nowadays some seem only interested in high-end stuff.
Try Great Central Railwayana Auctions, they have a general railwayana auction (ie not high-end) auction a few times a year. Or Talisman and perhaps Great Northern Railwayana.

 

[xotGD]

View attachment 204414
Apparently, I was told, these will not be worth much and I was advised to sell them on ebay.

I've picked up several of the EE plates in the past on Ebay. I also found one in an antique shop in Henley on Thames - it is always worth a rummage in these places.

I did have a couple of the Sulzer plates, given to me by someone who worked at Gateshead, but sold them on Ebay years ago.

Anyway, yes, there is a market for these. I would advise checking out what they are currently going for before listing.