William Fenton was an artist and designer with a passion for trains. He spent the first twenty one years of his life at one of the most interesting railway centres in Britain, Selby in Yorkshire. Here trains used to slow for a swing bridge, so he spent hours watching trains go slowly by. He used to cycle to York to browse gleaming vintage trains in the museum.
He was educated at The Leeds College of Art and The Royal College of Art in London. Whilst at The Royal College of Art, he often spent time among the railyway models and prints in the Science Museum.
He designed posters for London Transport from 1952-1976.
In 1958 he illustrated ten veteran steam trains from the period 1870-1903. This period was probably the most colourful and interesting period in railway history as trains were at their peak of its importance before the rise of the motor car. Here are some of the his lithographs you to choose from. They are genuine vintage prints, made in the 1950s.
