1954 Centenary of Australian Railways

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1954 Centenary of Australian Railways Issued 13 September 1954

This snapshot of the 1954 Centenary of Australian Railways outlines the background to the story of the stamp, including the reason for its commission, submissions from the various railway and government organisations, pictorial sources for the stamp design and stages of design development. Also included are examples of stamp products and a biography, where possible, of the stamp designer or engraver.

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Preliminary artwork March 1954 by Ralph M Warner

STORY OF THE STAMP Occasional requests for special stamp issues in the history of Australia’s railways were received by the Postmaster-General’s Department from as early as 1947. The stamp issue program at the time meant this was rarely possible to implement.

In August 1951 the Commonwealth Railways Commissioner proposed that a special set of postage stamps be issued in 1954 to mark the centenary of the first steam railway opened to the public in Australia. This was the Melbourne to Sandridge (Port Melbourne) line which began public operation on 13 September 1854. The Railway Commissioners were asked to submit ideas for designs.

A similar although broader request was received from the Australian Railway Historical Society in February 1953.Their proposal covered three railway centenaries which fell during 1954 – 55: > The opening of the first line in South Australia, a horse-drawn railway from Goolwa to Port Elliot on 18 May 1854

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> The Melbourne & Hobsons Bay Railway, the first steam railway mentioned by the Commissioners > The first line in New South Wales, which opened between Sydney and Parramatta on 26 September 1855 The Stamp Advisory Committee decided on the issue of one stamp during 1954 to mark the centenary of steam railways in Australia. By September 1953 several design roughs were prepared. During May 1954 representations from a variety of organisations and individuals were received.

SELECTION OF A SUBJECT The earliest submissions from the Railways Commissioners about a stamp proposal led to an official request in October1952 for design suggestions . In March 1953 the following proposal arrived: > Designs which incorporated elements indicating the advance of Australian railways over the century > Illustration of the first steam locomotive used on the earliest Victorian line > Illustrations of the modern New South Wales steam locomotive and a streamlined diesel electric locomotive used on the Commonwealth Trans-Australian Railway.

The final designs featured the first steam engine and a modern diesel engine, circa 1954. The stamps commemorated the beginnings of steam railways and the progress of railways in Australia over the century.

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Reference material and designs provided by the Commonwealth Railways Commission as part of its submission of March 1953.

Reproduction of Melbourne Station, 1854, a contemporary sketch

by S T Gill showing the first steam locomotive.

Source material: diagram by L J Harrigan, Victorian Railways, of the probable appearance of Australia’s first steam locomotive engine used on the Melbourne - Sandridge (now Port Melbourne) line, opened on 13 September 1854.

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Quote from L J Harrigan’s letter (Commonwealth Railways Commission)

“No photograph or other authentic illustration of the machine is available; and there is no knowledge of any such ever existing, other than S T Gill’s contemporary sketches of Melbourne Station – 1854” [see previous page] one of which shows the first engine and train. The drawing compiled by me is based on a. Gill’s sketch b. Newspaper details c. Locomotive design of the types with which the Melbourne & Hobson’s Bay Company’ engineer was familiar in Britain d. other features known to me” L J Harrigan

Reference material above was provided by the Commonwealth Railways Commissioner as part of their submission of March 1953.

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Designs from Note Printing Branch artists

Designs and sketches by Ralph M Warner 1954 June 1953 Preliminary designs by Note Printing Branch artist (Commonwealth Bank of Australia) incorporating the steam engine with the locomotive. These were not adopted.

H February 1954 Design roughs by Ralph Warner. Design H was considered satisfactory, with few alterations. The Note Printing Branch was asked to engrave the die and to provide three colour proofs.

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Souvenir First Day cover

Stamp technical details: Designer Engraver Sheet content Printer Process Colour Quantity

Ralph M Warner G. Lissenden 80 as a single pane Note Printing Branch, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Melbourne Engraved & intaglio (recess) printed Blackish-red 37,514,640

Artist’s Biography Ralph Warner 1902 - 1987 Born in Geelong, Victoria in 1902, Ralph Malcolm Warner studied commercial art at Geelong, Melbourne and Sydney Technical schools.

He began his career in 1926, working as an advertising artist and illustrator, but also produced watercolors and etchings, which he exhibited at commercial galleries in Melbourne. As a watercolorist, Warner was self-taught and developed a firm, controlled style.

In 1941, Warner was called up for military service and worked for the Australian Army's Southern Command as a camoflaguer. During 1942, he was transferred to the Military Intelligence Corps. There he used his skills as a commercial artist, producing posters that urged Australians to observe the requirements of wartime security. They were widely displayed in shops, hotels, railway stations, public thoroughfares and in military establishments.

Appointed an Official War Artist in 1943, Warner covered the activities of the RAAF in Canada, the United States and the Bahamas. His first mission, however, was a brief visit to Papua New Guinea, where he recorded Australian operations against the Japanese. His major assignment as a war artist was to record the activities of Australian airmen training in Canada under the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS). Back in Australia, Warner continued to work as a war artist, touring country areas of New South Wales and Victoria to record the civil and industrial war effort and food production. After the Second World War, Warner made a successful return to commercial art, designing posters, murals and postage stamps and illustrating books.

During the 1950s, he gained a reputation as an outstanding watercolourist, winning many prizes.

Credit: http://awm.gov.au/database/