Stevenson's plate - any info appreciated

Hi folks, I found this when clearing out my father-in-laws attic - can anyone tell me about it and if its worth anything?

 

This is a locomotive builders plate. It would have been one of two (one each side) attached to the locomotive by its builders, to say who built it (Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns Ltd), what its makers no. was (7013) and when it was build (1940). Thus this loco was "RSH 7013/1940", this being a unique refence, like your cars VIN (Vehicle Identication Number) plate.

The company Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns Ltd was been formed in 1937 following the purchase of Robert Stephenson & Co, of the locomotive building business of R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Co Ltd, who were also builders of marine engines (and possibly ship builders).

After a little searching I have found that RSH 7013/1940 was a standard gauge 0-4-0ST shunting locomotive built at RSH's Darlington Works and despatched on 1/2/1941 to The Darlington Forge Ltd also in Darlington., where it was named KING GEROGE VI. It spent all it working life their, apart from a short period on loan to the local gas works. The locomotive was scrapped in 1970.

The plate certainly has value, assuming that it is an original, not a copy. If you decide that you want to part with it, I suggest that you should approach one of the railwayana auction companys, like Sheffield Railway Auctions. Alternatively, if what you what to do, is to give it a good home, one of the Darlington based railway preservation groups/railway museums, might be interested in having it.

 

Thanks William for all your research its great to know its history. My father-in-laws family have lived near the Darlington Works for many years, his father and brothers all worked on the railways there, so I'm sure that this is an original.