Classic Locomotives of Northern Ireland stamp issue from Royal Mail

Royal Mail's new Classic Locomotives of Northern Ireland stamp issue celebrates steam locomotives through period photographs. The four-stamp issue has been created in collaboration with railway expert Professor Colin Divall of the National Railway Museum, and Northern Irish railway expert Norman Johnston.

Brian Delaney of Delaney Design Consultants trawled through thousands of photographs to find four images (both black and white and colour) of steam trains used in Northern Ireland. The stamps are as follows:

• 1st class: UTA Class W No.103 'Thomas Somerset' with a Belfast-bound up express between the two tunnels at Downhill, west of Castlerock c1950.
• 78p - UTA SG3 Class No 35 - The SG3 locomotive shunts wagons at Portadown in 1963.
• 88p - Peckett No 2 - Peckett No 2 reverses into the British Aluminium Works at Larne in 1937.
• £1.28 - CDRJC Class 5 No 4 - The Class 5 locomotive shunts a carriage at Strathblane in 1959.

The miniature sheet background image shows Glynn Lagoon, Larne Line in 1968.



The stamps are accompanied by associated products, including a presentation pack designed by Delaney Design Consultants, featuring information on Northern Irish steam locomotives; a first day cover with filler card by railway expert Norman Johnston; and a Nameplate Cover featuring a high quality enamelled cast of Northern Ireland's locomotive The Duchess of Sutherland's nameplate.

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