Catalogue description The Tod collection of railway photographs

The Tod collection is composed of 6½ x 4¾ ins glass plate negatives which, considering their age, are still in good condition, while the technical quality of the images attest to George's photographic skill. They typically feature static views of locomotives in London sheds and stations, with the crews occasionally making an appearance. Robert Weatherburn, locomotive superintendent of Midland Railway appears in some of the views of Midland locomotives at St Pancras. The railway companies most strongly featured are the Midland, Great Eastern, GWR, Great Northern and the London, Chatham & Dover Railway. George also took a small number of photographs of Scottish railways, probably whilst on holiday.

A list is available giving details of locomotive, location, and occasionally dates.

Tod, George, fl 1894-1899, schoolboy

• Railway transport

One of the earliest private collections acquired by the NRM was created by Victorian schoolboy, George Tod, the youngest photographer to be represented in the Museum archives. He was probably about twelve or thirteen years of age at the time he took the photographs and although we know very little about him he is brought to life by a series of letters written to his brother James in 1894. In these George describes his adventures at London sheds and relates his attempts to obtain permission to take photographs from various locomotive superintendents, notably the Midland's Robert Weatherburn. He also tells how he made friends with drivers and firemen, who obligingly moved engines to suit his poses.