London Transport RT To & From Advertising Slips (40)

This is a set of 40 different 'to & from slips' as once used on London's RT vehicles. They were pasted onto slip boards which were positioned next to the driver above the bonnet, and were a way of advertising important places or special events along the route. They ceased being used in the 70s, and the last RTs ran in regular London service in 1979, but many of these would have been produced for routes that last saw RTs in the 'sixties.

They are approx. 3.5 inches deep by 26 inches wide and screen printed onto poster paper. They have never been used and have been in store for around 35 years. The are mostly of two types – yellow lettering on a black background (17), and black lettering on a yellow background (21), but there are also two specials. The pictures below are only a guide and are not representative of this set. Not every slip displayed is included as many are no longer available.

They are generally in excellent condition, but they are very old and inevitably some have slight yellowing of the paper, and a couple have marks on the edges, corners or reverse. This set comprises 40 slips.

Yellow lettering on black slips (17):

• To and From Baker Street for Madame Tussaud's & Planetarium,
• Near Battersea Park for Festival Garden,
• Near British Museum,
• To and From Chiswick House,
• To and From The Horse Guards,
• To and From Imperial War Museum,
• To and From London Airport Roof Garden and Observation Platforms,
• To and From National Maritime Museum Greenwich,
  
• To and From The Old Vic,
• To and From Piccadilly,
• To and From Queen's Park Rangers Football Ground
• To and From Regent Street,
• To and From Strand,
• To and From Tate Gallery,
• To and From The Tower of London,
• To and From Westminster Abbey,
• To and From The Zoo,

Special colour slips (2):

• Railway Emergency Service (white lettering on black background),
• When Hammersmith Bridge Is Closed Please Walk Across The Bridge (white lettering on blue background).

Black lettering on yellow slips (21):

• To and From Camden Festival,
• To and From Chelsea Flower Show,
• To and From The Circus Blackheath,
• To and From The Circus Clapham Common,
• To and From The Commonwealth Institute (Kensington High Street),
• To and From Cutty Sark & Gipsy Moth IV Greenwich Pier,
• To and From Earl's Court Exhibition,
• To and From Epping Forest,
• To and From Fairfield Halls, Croydon,
• To and From Farnborough Hospital,
• Near Fulham Football Ground,
• To and From Greenwich Park,
• To and From Hampstead Heath,
• To and From Kew Gardens,
• Circular journeys serve Larkswood Swimming Pool, (this slip would have been for MBSs on route W21)
  
• To and From The Oval,
• To and From Oxford Street,
• To and From Royal Festival Hall,
  
• To and From Uxbridge Swimming Pool,
• To and From Whipps Cross Lido,
• To and From White City.

As can be seen, there is an interesting range of destinations, some only rarely seeing RTs in their later days, as many of these are from Central London where regular RT operation disappeared very early on most routes. There are many famous places included, and some well known football grounds. They are a lovely piece of nostalgia from a distant era - there are not many chances to buy material like this nowadays! These sets always sell very quickly and are great for putting on preserved buses or just general display. Many of the destinations are now running out, so there will be less different names in any future sets that I can put together. This is the ONLY set I have been able to make containing 40 slips and has one copy of every RT slip that I have left. If these slips interest you bid now, because there won't be another opportunity for a set like this.

Please see my other auctions for a wide range of transport-related items. Thanks for looking.