September 2026 – Enamel Advertising Sign

September’s Object of the Month features a striking enamel sign from 1906, which is advertising shipping services to Ireland.

The GWR began operating shipping services to Ireland in 1872.  With the opening of a major new harbour at Fishguard in Wales in 1906, the Fishguard to Rosslare service became the Company’s primary shipping route between Wales and Ireland.  Both passenger and cargo sailings were operated in partnership with the Great Southern and Western Railway Company of Ireland, under the name of the Fishguard & Rosslare Railways and Harbours Company.

An integrated rail and shipping service meant that passengers could travel across Britain to Fishguard Harbour and continue over the waters all courtesy of the GWR. Excursions to the Lakes of Southern Ireland left Paddington Station on a Friday evening and returned the following night.  These excursions were generally fully booked.

Connection times between boat trains and ships were no more than 15 minutes.  The sign boasts about the brand-new turbine steam ships, such as the SS St. David, that could travel at 22 ½ knots, making a journey time of just two and three quarter hours between Wales and Ireland.  The GWR produced a quantity of these enamel signs that would have been on display at railway stations and GWR booking offices.

This advertising sign, along with many other fascinating shipping, travel and publicity artefacts, will be on display in our brand-new permanent exhibition Go Great Western, which will be opening at the end of the month.