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STATEMENT REGARDING THE NAMEPLATE MANCHESTER UNITED

The Manchester United nameplate has been intensively scrutinised by a panel of experts and compared with the similar nameplate Bradford City.

It has been declared to be a genuine nameplate as carried by the locomotive.
  • The nameplate was originally sold by the company in 1994.
  • The nameplate came from a deceased Manchester estate of someone who had connections with the football Club.
  • A replacement ball was obtained at the time by Ian Wright from a collection in Barnsley to match up with the nameplate. The ball is the correct size, with a thinner brim and a new fixing spigot.
  • When the original buyer decided to sell it was consigned it to us.
Over the years there has been some speculation about the originality of the nameplate but in order to finally establish authenticity, it has undergone a thorough and independent inspection. These are the following points:-
  1. Some of the locomotives were built at Darlington Works, and some by Robert, Stephenson and Hawthorne (RSH). Darlington works fitted brass nameplates, RSH fitted gun- metal nameplates supplied by an outside contractor. Manchester United was built by RSH and is gun-metal, as is the other side.
  2. The length, breadth, and width match the dimensions of the nameplate Bradford City, which has been placed alongside it to compare the dimensions. This nameplate was purchased by Tony Peart direct from Doncaster Works when the locomotive was scrapped, they still have the original receipt for £4 10s
  3. The bolt holes are the correct style and diameter, moreover their positioning on the plate are exactly as per the photographs of the plate on the locomotive. Like all the LNER thinner plates the soft gun-metal holes were pulled through on the back when the bolts were tightened, therefore the back rim of the holes are slightly raised.
  4. The LNER did not mill the back of nameplates, the back of Manchester United is not milled, as is consistent with LNER manufacture.
  5. The back of the nameplate is ex loco condition, it has been cleaned but not with chemicals, or mechanical polishers.
  6. The 3 strap marks clearly show up on the back where the nameplate was tightened on to them.
  7. The nameplate was mounted approx. ¾ inch proud of the splasher at the top. Photographs of the nameplate taken from a side angle clearly show this. The top ¾ inch would have been exposed to the elements and would became much blacker than the rest of the back. This is apparent on the back of Manchester United.
  8. The nameplate is fully rimmed. When the nameplate was fitted to the splasher it was discovered that the bottom corners did not seat too well. As a consequence Darlington Works removed the bottom corner rims, as it did with A3 nameplates. Darlington built locomotive nameplates clearly show this e.g Sheffield United. Some of the fillets were later replaced by BR, and this can be seen on the nameplates they presented to Football Clubs, such as Doncaster Rovers. However, RSH did not remove the bottom corner rims, they made the nameplates fit by strong tightening of the bolts, so causing indentation on the back. This can be clearly seen, and felt on the back of Manchester United.
This and the other Manchester United nameplate are the only two to emerge in the last 45 years.
For all the above reasons we state categorically that the nameplate is 100% genuine. The original opinions expressed in 1994 by Ian Wright, Trevor Dale and the late Tony Peart (Curator of Doncaster Railway Museum) are correct and vindicated. Their reputations are intact.

We confirm that the nameplate is 100% original. Any counter opinions about its authenticity have been, and are, erroneous, and the statement made since the auction without this necessary knowledge and research.

We sincerely apologise for our rush to judgement.

ManU Left   ManU Centre
Back of Manchester United (left hand bolt holes)   Back of Manchester United (Centre bolt holes)


61648
Sister locomotive 61648 prior to scrapping showing the positioning of the mounting stays which correspond to those on 61662 (note that the football has become disassociated with the nameplate).


61660
Sister locomotive 61660 also prior to scrapping but minus the ball.