Midland Railway Weight Limit Sign

Original Midland Railway Cast Iron sign, painted in dark blue with white lettering and boarder.

MIDLAND RAILWAY NOTICE
THIS BRIDGE (BELONGING TO THE MIDLAND
RAILWAY COMPANY) IS INSUFFICIENT TO CARRY
WEIGHTS BEYOND THE ORDINARY TRAFFIC OF
THE DISTRICT. THE OWNERS AND PERSONS IN
CHARGE OF LOCOMOTIVE TRACTION ENGINES
AND OTHER PONDEROUS CARRIAGES. ARE
WARNED AGAINST PASSING THEM OVER THE
BRIDGE, AND WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE
FOR ANY DAMAGE CAUSED BY SUCH ENGINES
OR CARRIAGES PASSING OVER.
ALEXIS L. CHARLES
DERBY. JUNE 1899. SECRETARY”

Before the invention of modern materials, railway signs were usually made of wood or cast iron, or occasionally, carvings were made into the stone that made the buildings on which the sign needed to appear; this usually only happened in the very early days of railways, as they soon found out that changes could not be made once done.

The Midland was a prolific user of cast iron.  Usually, such signs appeared, threatening those who dared to trespass with the full majesty of the law.  But they also appeared to provide other information, sometimes to the public, sometimes to staff.

In this case, the cast iron signs provide a warning of the weight limit on a bridge and is there really to protect the Midland’s own interests, in case anyone drives a vehicle over it that is too heavy and damages it.  Note the wording though; it does not give a weight limit, rather it just says that nothing more than the usual traffic of the district should not use the bridge, which leaves things open to interpretation.  Of course, in 1899, when this was placed, the only mechanical transport was steam-powered traction engines and trams.

We know quite a lot about A S Charles, who is featured on this sign.  

  • Alexis L Charles portrait. Credit: Midland Railway Society
  • The mobile Board Room of the Midland, otherwise known as the MR Director’s Saloon. This was Mr Chales’ mobile office. Credit: Midland Railway Society

He was born in Derby on the 3rd of February 1851, the son of a Belgian army officer and a British mother, this is presumably what he had the unusual Christian name.  He succeeded James Williams JP (who features on the MR Trespass sign) on the 16th of June 1899.  His MR career started from Derby Grammar School in 1865 when he joined the Accountant’s Department but transferred to the Secretary’s Office the following year.  He became Willliam’s ‘Private Shorthand Clerk’ in 1869, and when Mr. Baxter, the Secretary’s Assistant, died in 1882, he was promoted to that Office.  He became Assistant Secretary in 1890.

He was appointed as Secretary when Mr. Williams retired in 1899 and died in February 1929.