Railway posters 1923-1947 - National Railway Museum

Between 1923 and 1947 the railway poster in Britain was in its heyday. These were the years of the so-called "Big Four" companies: The Great Western Railway, Southern Railway, London Midland and Scottish Railway, and London and North Eastern Railway. In the competition for passengers, each of the companies developed its own distinctive style of poster advertising. Some of the finest poster artists of the time were commissioned - including Cassandre, Edward McKnight Kauffer, Fred Taylor and Tom Purvis - and new standards were set for railway art. The subjects of the posters ranged from the resorts and towns covered by each company's network, top trains and the wider interests of the railway; from beautiful landscapes, sunny beaches and bathing belles, to ships, hotels and streamlined expresses. This book contains over 200 of the most striking and innovative designs of the period. An illustrated introduction, extended captions and biographies of the artists provide a comprehensive analysis of the classic era of the railway poster.