A 40in by 50in poster emblazoned with the words 'Great Yarmouth and Gorleston-on-Sea' and a brightly coloured picture of holidaymakers playing in the sea went under the hammer in New York City yesterday.

Eastern Daily Press: Yarmouth posters going for auction in USYarmouth posters going for auction in US (Image: Archant)

The poster produced by a little-known artist named H Forster for the London and North Eastern Railway sold for £2,295 at the auction at Swann Galleries.

Just a few moments later at the same auction, a 40in by 50in poster featuring the words 'Great Yarmouth and Gorleston on Sea, Sun and Fun For Everyone' and an image of a family in the sea with golden sands in the background sold for £2,142. The poster was produced jointly for the London and North Eastern Railway and London Midland and Scottish Railway in or around 1935 by Sunderland-born artist Septimus Edwin Scott when British rail travel and seaside holidays were in their heyday.

Although the poster by H Forster is not dated, experts believe it was produced sometime between 1923 and 1947 as the LNER and LMS were only in business between those dates. Both companies were nationalised in January 1948 and became part of the newly-formed British Railways.

The National Railway Museum in York own a similar a Great Yarmouth and Gorleston poster, produced for the LNER in around 1926 by Northampton-born Henry George Gawthorn. In their book, Railway Posters 1923-1947, Beverley Cole and Richard Durack said: 'The LNER published booklets entitled From The Carriage Window, which were intended to provide interest for passengers on train journeys.

'Volumes in the series included the routes of the East Anglian,The Broadsman,The Norfolkman and The Easterling, all of which featured Great Yarmouth and Gorleston. On the back of each booklet was a train speed table indicating time per mile and per quarter mile.

'At this time, Yarmouth boasted a six mile long promenade.'