Pre-Worboys preservation campaign

[Bryn666]

Disregarding the pointed ends these are just standard blue sign panels, so I'm confused for one.

They look like a botch to me, they're certainly not prescribed types (no arrows for a start). My guess is an old fingerpost was 'replaced' with these.

[DavidNW9]

Could be, I've never seen anything like it with the arrow, but all they are are PW stand alone panels which have been used elsewhere, added the road number at the end rather than above to use the space better, and made pointed ends out of necessity.

The G is the pre-1957 version and the panels are normal pressed letters albeit a very modern paint job. We'd need a local to tell us the history but if fingerposts the arrow south would be on both sides of one sign rather than two separately for each side. I'd just lump it in with all the other rare variations such as the one on the Harwich Road which also has no others I've come across like it. As the fundamental design is pre-Worboys before the pointed ends they wouldn't affect the classification for me as once you lop them off they become bog standard direction panels.

Here is my closest example, if you block out the border and shift the road numbers to the end bingo.

Bounds Green sign Brownlow Road by David Howard, on Flickr

[Bfivethousand]

Knowleston Place, Matlock

and its opposite number at the other end of the street

[Bfivethousand]

Ashby de la Zouch

[ASK]

There are Wikipedia pages for road signs in various countries, including vector image files.

Are there vector images anywhere for pre-Worboys-style signs?

[DavidNW9]

Ancient monument signs were from a separate system and carried on into the 80s and were a combination of old and new styles.

This is a new variety, used at a park entrance in Tring.



An old favourite on the edge of Aylesbury.



For geeks looking at the rear of the signs it appears both are the same age, implying the top one was made after 1964 and the lower one was used from old stock. It still does the job though.

[A42_Sparks]

Found this today whilst out driving. I made sure I snapped this one as Pre-Worboys signs are getting very thin on the ground in Northern Ireland. It's new to the internet as far as I know:



It's at the junction of the unclassified Glens Brae Road and Killygore Road here in a very rural part of the Glens of Antrim. The road runs between Broughshane and Martinstown and is really quiet so I was surprised there was ever a PW sign here, never mind in such good condition still.

[DavidNW9]

Found this today whilst out driving. I made sure I snapped this one as Pre-Worboys signs are getting very thin on the ground in Northern Ireland. It's new to the internet as far as I know:

Totally new, well spotted!

[DavidNW9]

Four from the south west, there may still have been one in Chilmark but couldn't find it, and appear to have missed one in Podimore as I didn't bring the list with me as I wasn't planning to use the car, but got the main one I wanted plus a few more.

[DavidNW9]

I just came across this randomly in Hatch End.

[DavidNW9]

I lost the huge list in Wetherby which was replaced around 2015, but not only got the familiar one in Spofforth I also spotted its mate tucked in a hedge which was a great bonus.

[Klepsydra]

This one in Balham has been repainted recently in a jaunty and most unofficial shade of red.

[DavidNW9]

I'm glad they've both kept it and painted it, but red is a military sign colour only besides the warnings for rivers etc.

[DavidNW9]

I have just mopped up nine in the west country, three of which have just been painted.

sign4 by David Howard, on Flickr

sign3 by David Howard, on Flickr

danger sign by David Howard, on Flickr

Wincanton sign by David Howard, on Flickr

sign2 by David Howard, on Flickr

sign by David Howard, on Flickr

Frome sign2 by David Howard, on Flickr

Frome sign by David Howard, on Flickr

crossroads by David Howard, on Flickr

[Berk]

The B3081 sign looks like an exact replica.

Which was the dual carriageway referred to earlier??

[DavidNW9]

It's not a replica, it's just recently had a coat of paint. You can see it in the first Streetview shot. The dual carriageway sign is in a little road off the A30 in Sherborne. The crossroads sign was the only one which looked like a replica to me but I don't think it was.

sign by David Howard, on Flickr

[vlad]

I'm wondering if these count, or whether they're unofficial.

[RichardB]

I spotted this one in the wilds of Angus last week.

[DavidNW9]

I'm wondering if these count, or whether they're unofficial.

Totally genuine and as intended when made, painted recently to look new.

Two lucky finds today pottering around Hertfordshire.





The odd thing about the first one is the houses on the little road and sign above with the road name look pure 70s, while the G below is pre-1955. I'm wondering if the lower sign was there first and the houses built later.

[Berk]

The odd thing about the first one is the houses on the little road and sign above with the road name look pure 70s, while the G below is pre-1955. I'm wondering if the lower sign was there first and the houses built later.

I’m not disagreeing with any of that, but why is that I have seen so many signs which are much later than this, using the same letter-sets?? In Leicester, for example??

I’ve probably said this before, but both Leicester and Leicestershire Highways seem to have retained PW letter-sets for general use. There are many information, and street signs that are much later than 1950s. I would say they only stopped using them around the mid-80s.

If you’re not sure, look at street signs on Uppingham, and Humberstone Roads on Google. Proof, if it was needed, that these signs cannot possibly date from the 1950s.