7mm On Heather's Workbench - one final time, with feeling
- Thread starter Heather Kay
- Start date
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
I know I'm sounding like a broken record, but for some reason I simply can't get the disposition of smoking signage straight in my head. Let's assume all three coaches I'm putting together were refurbished in the early 1930s.
Larry's information is clear: Compartments branded for NO SMOKING, and generally in the minority on each vehicle. I've also had corroborating information from a third party. This is good.
What isn't good is whether it was correct to mix and match the branded SMOKING signs and the triangular NO SMOKING signs in a coach. Or was it more like BR days when smoking was simply assumed and there was only branding for NS compartments?
Russell's books coughed up one image which showed SMOKING labels in every compartment. To confuse me still further, the client would like the branded SMOKING transfers, but I can't see a reason to apply them to every compartment. That's nearly 50 transfers to apply, and I don't see that level of application in Russell's photos - not helped by GWR period photos being so few. It makes more sense to follow the GWR across-the-board smoking prohibition, with a couple of compartments set aside for nicotine addicts.
My brain is beginning to melt again. Please, can we make it make sense?
James Spooner
Western Thunderer
Hi Heather,
I have done some Googling on the subject and came across this piece in the GWS Didcot website:
”As an indication of the popularity of smoking 100 years ago, on 4 October 1920, the GWR issued a circular to all stations laying down that all trains had to be formed with 50% smoking accommodation. From 6 October 1930, the GWR decided that special compartments would no longer be labelled as being reserved for smokers and that smoking would be allowed in all carriages except those designated by a new type of triangular ‘No Smoking’ label. This had the effect of increasing the proportion of smoking accommodation and the GWR then started to label one in four compartments in nearly 10,000 vehicles as ‘No Smoking’.
Smoking on trains may no longer be legal nor desired these days, but even so, the exploitation of past smoking norms, to further GWR's publicity is at the very least, a remarkable demonstration of their drive and confidence to influence their customers in any way possible!”
I don’t know if that helps at all, but I guess there would have been some sort of transition period.
Nigel
I have done some Googling on the subject and came across this piece in the GWS Didcot website:
”As an indication of the popularity of smoking 100 years ago, on 4 October 1920, the GWR issued a circular to all stations laying down that all trains had to be formed with 50% smoking accommodation. From 6 October 1930, the GWR decided that special compartments would no longer be labelled as being reserved for smokers and that smoking would be allowed in all carriages except those designated by a new type of triangular ‘No Smoking’ label. This had the effect of increasing the proportion of smoking accommodation and the GWR then started to label one in four compartments in nearly 10,000 vehicles as ‘No Smoking’.
Smoking on trains may no longer be legal nor desired these days, but even so, the exploitation of past smoking norms, to further GWR's publicity is at the very least, a remarkable demonstration of their drive and confidence to influence their customers in any way possible!”
I don’t know if that helps at all, but I guess there would have been some sort of transition period.
Nigel
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Thanks Nigel. That echoes what is written in the "bible", the HMRS Great Western Way.
I think I shall propose to the client that the E85 composite could have the old style SMOKING transfers on the adjacent first and third compartments. The other two coaches would have the triangular NO SMOKING transfers on the relevant compartments.
I think I shall propose to the client that the E85 composite could have the old style SMOKING transfers on the adjacent first and third compartments. The other two coaches would have the triangular NO SMOKING transfers on the relevant compartments.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
We have a result! 
Moving on.
Moving on.