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Free printable scale versions of our SLS Special train headboards (Issue date 30 March 2010)
The SLS has always been associated with visits and special trains as anyone who has read our Centenary Booklet will be aware. This tradition grew to reach a peak during the branch line closure era. However this tradition still continues with runs over preserved railways, the occasional organised main line tour to replicate past times, and with behind the scenes visits.
Three of these are now available as free of charge "printies" ( 300 dpi jpg format) and accurately scaled to 4mm, 7mm (UK 1:43), 1:24 and 1:12. For more information on what is available visit the SLS Headboards page.
This service will be formally launched to railway enthusiasts at the 2010 York Model Railway Show, (3 - 5 April '10). Launch press release text follows:-.
Launching at York Model Railway Show 2010 - Free printable scaled SLS excursion headboards.
As a service to railway modellers the SLS has added downloadable photographic copies of three genuine excursion headboards to their website. The boards available are scaled to 4mm. 7mm (1:43), 1:24 and 1:12. The images, available free of charge, are at 300dpi suitable for home printing from a PC and when printed onto photographic gloss paper are a perfect representation of the real artifact. N gauge examples are not currently offered as at that scale they become unreadable but, those and any other bespoke scale, can be supplied on request by emailing the Society Webmaster.
As for the prototypes two of the originals were only used in the 1950s but the third remains active and is still used on both preserved railways and for mainline tours. The most recent outing being on 14 November 2009 when carried by 0-6-0T No 9600 on the two panniers SLS Centenary rail tour in the West Midlands. Printing onto a flat surface is prototypically accurate as the three originals available were not castings but flat surfaces with painted lettering therefore not requiring any depth for accurate reproduction by the modeller onto gloss paper. More details about the headboards themselves and links to the actual files can be found on the SLS website. (Page ref = http://www.stephensonloco.org.uk/sls_headboards.htm )
John New, SLS Promotions and Publicity Officer comments -
"The SLS Special was synonymous with the branch line closure eras in the 1950s and 60s but remains an occasional feature of mainline tours to this day with two run during 2009. We are offering this free "printie" service to the railway modeller as many layouts are seen featuring a special working, but rarely with an appropriate tour headboard. We are therefore offering this free service to fill that gap! The headboards offered have been carried by a wide range of locomotives, large and small, and every modeller can justify an SLS special."
