South For Sunshine
Between 1923 and 1947 the Southern Railway produced thousands of
different publicity booklets, leaflets and posters. Rather than the
plain and simple material produced today the Southern Railway went
to great lengths to make all its publicity material eyecatching and
colourful. Popular artists of the day were employed to produce
the attractive images.
The recently published 64 page book South For Sunshine reproduces over 150 images from this golden age of railway publicity.
Southern Railway publicity covered all aspects of travel by rail. The leaflet
shown left advertises the south coast between Seaford and Hastings.
To add to the interest this area is named "The Conquerors's Coast".
With the electrification of many of the Southern Railway lines around
London the opportunity was taken to persuade people living in London
to move out and then commute to the City. The booklet shown right was
produced just prior to the electrification to Brighton. The message
being "get in quick, house prices will soon be rising".
These are 4 of the images from the 100 colour images in South For Sunshine. Published by Capital Transport and written by Tony Hillman and Beverley Cole. Available from bookshops price £7.95.
Don't think that the Southern Railway constrained itself to advertising travel in Southern England. As can be seen from the booklets here you could travel by Southern Railway far further than Dover.
Email Tony Hillman for details of purchase by mail-order.