Restoring our historic metal road signs

We recently found out that sadly Norwich City Council doesn’t restore our historic road signs. If you report one using their online form they just put up a plastic new road sign near it! Leaving the metal road sign to eventually rust and fall to the ground.

Wodehouse Street now has the original metal road sign rusting on the house and a plastic one placed on the path in front of it.

We love the old road signs feel like they are important to keep in Norwich. As a community, we have been working on the ones in Pockthorpe, NR3. We have been sanding away the rust and giving them a fresh coat of paint.

If you want to get involved or notice a road sign that needs restoring please comment on this blog post. You are welcome to borrow the paint!

Knowsley Road

Our restoration work of these antique Victorian cast iron signs in Norwich.

Wodehouse Street

4 thoughts on “Restoring our historic metal road signs”

    1. Hi,

      Sorry just seen this comment! I would use 120 grit sandpaper as this sign isn’t too bad, brush away any dirt, use white first avoiding the letters and finish with black. Wire wool also works well.

      I am happy to help and bring paint 🙂

  1. Marian Mulligan

    What type of paint do you use when restoring these old signs? I presume they are aluminium. I have been gifted an old one from my childhood estate and I would like to restore it. It was manufactured by Hills of Staines, London.

  2. Hello,
    I have an old historic road sign. Weighs a lot! Can you advise on what I need to fix it to a brick wall and where to purchase the fixings from?

    Thanks

    Stephen

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