Catalogue description S T Cowan collection of railway photographs

Comprises 3½ x 2½ ins and 4½ x 2¾ ins film negatives of locomotives and moving trains, often shown in context. There are images of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, Midland Railway, LNWR, Great Central Railway, North British, and Caledonian Railway, with some views of the LNER, Glasgow & South Western Railway and the Southern Railway. Railways in Switzerland also feature, together with ferries, sailing scenes, and family photographs.

Cowan, S T, d 1976, and railway photographer, doctor of philosophy

• Railway transport

There are eight photograph albums featuring prints taken from the negatives and covering most of the subjects described above. A schedule is available.

There are comprehensive registers. Two volumes list the negatives by wallet number, giving details of the scene featured but no date. There are three foolscap notebooks which provide greater details of the scenes depicted, including exact dates and times, exposure and weather details. These can be matched to the prints in the albums. A further register records copy slides and an 'X' series register lists copy negatives which Cowan made in 1974.

Dr S T Cowan mainly concentrated on railways in the Midlands and north, showing a particular interest in the operations of the companies that in 1923 formed the London, Midland & Scottish Railway. He holds the distinction of being the first railway enthusiast whose work was acquired by the NRM, when the collection was donated to the museum in 1977.