LMS Stencil

I visited a local antiques fair a few weeks ago and on one stall I spotted a metal stencil, lettered "LE'SHIRE S.R." and on a second line, "L.M.S." (see photos appended). It measured about 14 x 8 inches and, judging by its weight, I think it was made of aluminium. A little incongruously, it was fitted with a small handle similar to those used on office date stamps.

The dealer was a chap I know slightly, so asked what he knew about it, but he was only aware that it was pre-nationalisation. I did point out that the reference to LMS/SR would mean it was post grouping (1923).

I wasn't tempted to invest, but was intrigued enough to have been thinking about it a bit since. A quick google revealed it was previously sold as part of a bigger lot at an auction in Nottingham, during February, but there was no info there either.

I cannot see it having been used to mark up wagons as:

• The evidence of paint remaining on it shows that to have been black, so it seems unlikely.
• Putting it onto a wagon would infer that wagon being dedicated to a particular traffic and if that were the case you'd think it would be properly signwritten.

The only logical alternative would seem to be for use on packing crates that were to be despatched by train. However, the legend would not, in itself, provide enough information to identify a sender or the recipient. Additional details would therefore have to be given, presumably on some sort of label(s). That then begs the question, "Why not just put all the details on the label?"

Any sensible suggestions anyone?

 

It has the look of being made of tin. I have several tin stencils found on my property that look to me to have similar appearance.

 

Maybe for stencilling ownership onto wagon sheets.

Sheets went with a load, but it wasn't worth the cost of sending a single sheet back to origin on its own.
I suspect the receiving station would fold the sheet (with ownership visible) until there were sufficient to send back as a wagon load.

I am assuming Leicestershire. I doubt S. R. in this context is Southern Railway, more likely Sheet Repository or some such.

Just my thoughts, no actual evidence of course.

 

Wagon sheets were common user between the big four so never really got sent back to the owning company. They were to RCH spec.They would be used on anothers wagon if needed.

 

Would they have been returned to the owner's facilities when they needed repairs? Maybe Sheet Repairs?

 

Yes.

 

Many thanks to all for your replies.

The suggestion that it was used to put information on wagon sheets is clearly a much more plausible idea and I shall make the dealer aware when I see him next.

Every day is a school day!

 

For obvious reasons we tend to jump to the conclusion that LMS is railway related. When I started grammar school I was surprised to see many things labelled LMS but quickly realised that it stood for Leeds Modern School. Later on, when the Leeds Inner ring road was being built, an awful lot of equipment and signage was labelled LMS, which stood for Lehain, Mckenzie & Shand, the contractors.

 

Anyone considered the possibility that someone was playing around with a box of stensils to see what they could make out of them?

 

Hmm! Maybe have to consider this sort of alternative. It's just occurred to me that the LMSR Sheet Stores were at Trent, which isn't in Leicestershire.

https://www.lmssociety.org.uk/topics/sheetDepartment.php