The Signwriters’ Shop

 

Signwriting was a crucial but often overlooked job at the Railway Workshops.

Almost all of the railway-related signs used across the Tasmanian railway network were made in this workshop, including railway crossings and road signs, as well as warnings, instructions, safety and place signs.

The signwriters were also responsible for glass cutting. Aside from general glass cutting for the railway workshops, they also cut glass for stations and other buildings around the state.

Originally, signwriters and painters were separate jobs, until they were combined in he 1980s.

The signwriters were constantly busy – especially from 1970 to 1974, when all speed limit signs in Tasmania were converted from miles to kilometres.

Most signs were either hand-painted or screen-printed, with screen-printing used for efficiency, when many signs of the same type were needed.

 

Queen Victoria Museum at Inveresk

Free entry