IT is the end of the line for one of the North-East’s largest collections of railway memorabilia after thieves left the owner’s widow living in fear.

Known for nearly 30 years as the Railway House, because of five signal finials on the garage roof, many trainee bus drivers use the landmark in Belmont, County Durham while learning their route.

But after thieves stole one of the treasured items, Yvonne Staley decided enough was enough.

Mrs Staley, of Thorndale Road, said: “It is sad. It is going be the end of an era, the end of the Railway House.

“I was going to sell the last of my husband’s collection eventually, but when thieves stole one of the finials from outside our house, I no longer felt comfortable.

“I contacted the auction house two days later and told them what I had. They have picked it all up now.” Mrs Staley said 79 pieces or railway memorabilia, which will be sold in 40 lots, were expected to raise thousands of pounds at GW Railwayana Auctions in Pershore, Worcestershire, on Saturday, May 16.

Among the items to be sold is the nameplate of the Holyrood – the last A1 Pacific locomotive to be built in Darlington before the Tornado. It has a reserve price of £10,000.

The nameplate of Harrington Hall starts at £8,000, while the University of Durham is expected to fetch up to £3,000.

Mrs Staley said her husband, Keith, who died of cancer 14 years ago, aged 60, had amassed one of the largest private collections of railway memorabilia in the region.

The collection includes nameplates, builders’ plates, models, paintings, station advertisements and much more.

Mr Staley, the son of a railway goods master, worked for British Rail, in Darlington, before working for Easington District Council. He and his wife then set up a stall in Durham City Market, where he became market master.

Mrs Staley said: “Collecting railwayana was an obsession.

He would come back from boot sales and fairs loaded with stuff.

“On one occasion, he built an extension to house his stuff. I thought I was finally going to get some space on the wall for myself. But, when it was completed, a whole lot of stuff I did not know about appeared from behind the couch and the garage.”

A family friend has helped Mrs Staley sell a number of items from the collection over the past several years.

For further details of the sale, call 01684-773487 or visit gwra.co.uk