Vertical Underground Sign

[Nutmeg]

Hi all. I'm working on a TV production set in 1941 and we need to recreate the exterior of a Tube station.
We would like to make one of the attached signs. Does anybody have any material that would help us do this such as high resolution images or technical drawings.
I am specifically interested to know how they were constructed- so we can do the same.
Many thanks in advance.
Mary

 

[Royston Vasey]

It might be worth a trip to the Museum Depot at Acton with a camera; they are next open the weekend after Easter. It may even be worth contacting their archivists with your specific query.

https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/depot-open-days

They also have a photo archive which is licensable. This is the exterior of London Bridge Station, if it helps you narrow down your search

https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/collections/the-collection?f[0]=collection_type:Photographs

 

[John Webb]

Yes - contact the LT Museum as suggested by Royston Vasey.

My guess is that it is a double-sided sign being a metal framework with glass panels overprinted and with internal lighting - not that the lighting would be used in the 'Blackout', of course!

 

[Royston Vasey]

You could try licensing this image (which physically exists at Acton Depot) but you may not get any better resolution or insight as to colours and materials as you already have!

https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/collections/collections-online/photographs/item/1998-59590

I have a hunch the museum will have the sign you're looking for in their collection, either on display or in storage, and a lot more source material besides!

 

[Mojo]

In addition to the London Transport Museum you could also check out the TfL Archives. They often have invoices, plans, specifications etc for constructions:

http://www.tflcorporatearchivescatalogue.co.uk/CalmViewA/Advanced.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog

 

[Snow1964]

I have just checked couple of books on Underground station architecture and earliest I can find one is 1915, and last I can see is the side entrance at Westminster which was used as a prototype for the Morden extension. (The Morden extension stations had the new bullseye)

Seems to be very few stations that had them, so if it is a typical station you need for the film, might be not that appropriate.

I don’t know when they were removed, but I suspect glass panels did not survive the bombing, if any signs were still up in 1941

 

[Nutmeg]

Thank-you all for your responses. The image I attached was from the TFL museum online collection but the images aren't good quality. I've followed up with an email.
Interesting that they would be made from glass- but this makes sense in the period.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Apr 2022 ==

I have just checked couple of books on Underground station architecture and earliest I can find one is 1915, and last I can see is the side entrance at Westminster which was used as a prototype for the Morden extension. (The Morden extension stations had the new bullseye)

Seems to be very few stations that had them, so if it is a typical station you need for the film, might be not that appropriate.

I don’t know when they were removed, but I suspect glass panels did not survive the bombing, if any signs were still up in 1941

This is very useful, thanks.