Yorkshire Philosophical Society

Event Information

So Bracing: A Potted History of the Railway Poster

Roger Backhouse

Celebrating the 200th anniversary of the modern railway, rail historian Roger Backhouse examines how railway posters developed from the mid-19th century.  He will look at some Yorkshire and North Eastern poster developments and how a York resident changed the way posters were displayed.  Roger will focus on how Yorkshire attractions were presented, how posters could dissuade travellers and mention unfortunate poster mistakes.

This event is part of the York Festival of Ideas 2025 and will be held at The Auditorium, Bootham School, 49-57 Bootham, YO30 7BU.   Free tickets will be available from the Festival office from Friday May 2nd.

Part of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society’s Café Scientifique series.

About the speaker:

Roger Backhouse is a railway historian. A former local government librarian, policy officer and charity manager who has been interested in railways since boyhood.   When not on train journeys, he is a keen allotment gardener and is a member of York Model Engineers.   He also writes for Model Engineer magazine.

Image credit:  Science Museum Group. West Riding Limited. 1988-7962 Science Museum Group Collection Online. Accessed 6 April 2025. https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co233242/west-riding-limited.

Image details:  Poster, London & North Eastern Railway, West Riding Limited, The First Streamline Train, by Charles Shepherd (Shep), 1937. Coloured lithograph depicting a blue A4 class streamlined locomotive hauling a passenger train at speed, with a tree at left. Accompanying text gives details of departure times commencing 27th September 1937 between Bradford, Leeds and London King’s Cross. Format double royal.

Gallery