just having a re-read through some past issues of Model Railway Journal.......#144.......discovering a photo [of a train on Newhaven Harbour branch].....dated 27/8/1957.......no obvious white lines, but that isn't conclusive....however there IS a good view of a typical 'direction' sign preceeding a crossroads.....and of interest is that it has been [permanently] erected by the RAC [Royal Automobile Club]...rather than as in more recent times,by the local authority,or highways agency.......it consists of a large rectangular sign....colour I ''assume'' would be RAC blue(?).....cantilevered off a large [striped, b&w,again???) pole.
the routes...ie road numbers, and [major] place names are in rectangular boxes,superimposed on top ofthe stylised black line symbol for the 'roads'....little arrow on each end of thick line.....
the 'straight on' route box has a black border, with white background, lettered for the A 259, above the name 'Seaford', which is in smaller letters.
[I assume this box format was good for all 'A''roads?]...lettering black.
the \turn right' road is a similar box, but black background, with white letters........lettered for 'B2109', with 'Newhaven Harbour'' again in smaller letters underneath.
This I assume was the format for ''B'' roads and their route signs?
The 'left' turn was an 'unclassified' road......again a rectangular box, black border,white background.........but with large empty space [where road number would have been?]....with ''Lewes'' in small letters along the bottom....again I assume this was the format adopted to sign an unclassified road?
In the top left corner of the road sign, was a large, diamond-shaped logo for thee RAC...the old style one familiar to oldfahrt UK drivers?
I cannot remember if this direction sign layout was universal,or whether organisations like the AA also had a hand in things........BUT, somewhere, I have a 'road' atlas belonging to my grandad, all pre motorway.....and that will give a clue.
nothing to do with roadwidth, I know......but I thought the above might prove useful to someone...right detail,and all that?