Long-lost station sign features in heritage festival

A historic railway sign which was spotted up for sale by chance in an online auction will now feature in a town heritage event.

The big red sign once marked Swadlincote railway station, in Derbyshire, but it had not been seen for more than 60 years after the station's closure.

It is now on public display at Sharpe's Pottery Museum as part of Swad Heritage Fest 2026, after being donated by the family who originally intended to sell it on Facebook.

"Swadlincote isn't a massively old town, it doesn't go back to the Tudor times, so a lot of our heritage is very industrial," said Richard Haywood, trustee at Sharpe's.

"Myself, both of my granddads, they worked in Gresley pit. Most people I know either worked in pits or worked on the railways or worked on the potteries," he added.

Haywood said the station sign "wasn't planned" to be part of the Swad Heritage Fest.

He said it was a coincidence that the event, which focuses on the 1960s, would now feature a sign last publicly seen in that decade.

"The family who were selling it were happy to loan or even donate it to us, so we had a discussion and we signed the paperwork this week," Haywood said.

"We're really, really grateful about that.

"It's something really distinct and something really unique which we hadn't planned on happening."

The free event is being held as part of the National Trust's Heritage Open Days scheme, which encourages community-led cultural events across the UK.

Aside from the station sign, there will also be hands-on activities, exhibitions, and history talks between 11:00 and 17:00 GMT.

Other similar events are taking place across Derbyshire until 20 September, and a full list can be found on the Heritage Open Days website.

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