---
title: There Isn't Even Half an Engine to Spare for Unnecessary Journeys ... So 'Stay Put' This Summer
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/uk-half-an-engine-to-spare-stay-put-1939/
description: A railway worker with an oil can looks up at an oversized locomotive boiler on a track, under the text 'There isn't even half an engine to spare
section: Collection
---

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3. There Isn't Even Half an Engine to Spare for Unnecessary Journeys ...

[![There Isn't Even Half an Engine to Spare for Unnecessary Journeys... So 'Stay Put' This Summer, 1939 UK poster: A railway](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/uk-half-an-engine-to-spare-stay-put-1939.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/uk-half-an-engine-to-spare-stay-put-1939.jpg)

# There Isn't Even Half an Engine to Spare for Unnecessary Journeys ... So 'Stay Put' This Summer

A railway worker with an oil can looks up at an oversized locomotive boiler on a track, under the text 'There isn't even half an engine to spare for unnecessary journeys... so stay put this summer'. The tell is the plain-folks device of an ordinary worker beside the engine, used to ask civilians to give up non-essential rail travel; the poster states no figures.

## Propaganda techniques used in this poster

[Plain folks](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/plain-folks/)

## Text on the object

Original (English) · read from the image, not independently checked

```
There isn't even
half an engine to spare
for unnecessary journeys

.. so 'stay put' this Summer

RAILWAY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
559
REGINALD MAYES
```

[← A Gun For Every Job - Buy War Savings - Hit the Target](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/uk-gun-for-every-job-war-savings-1939/) [This is what YOU are making... A Mighty Machine of British Workmanship (Handley Page Halifax II) →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/uk-handley-page-halifax-ii-mighty-machine-british-workmanship-1939/)

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- [Trois Tetes sous l'meme bonnet (three heads under the same cap)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/trois-tetes-sous-le-meme-bonnet-1789/) (France · 1789 · Plain folks, Glittering generalities)
- ['This log cabin was the first building erected on the North Bend', Whig print by T. Sinclair, 1840](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/harrison-north-bend-log-cabin-sinclair-1840/) (United States · 1840 · Plain folks, Transfer)
- [Treeing Coons (pro-Polk cartoon), 1844](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/treeing-coons-polk-1844/) (United States · 1844 · Name-calling, Plain folks)
- [Zachary Taylor, People's Candidate for President (Currier banner), 1848](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/taylor-fillmore-peoples-candidate-1848/) (United States · 1848 · Plain folks, Glittering generalities)
- ['Little Mac.' (from the Democratic presidential campaign songster)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/little-mac-song-sheet-feeks-1864/) (United States · 1864 · Bandwagon, Plain folks)
- [The peoples' choice, H. Greeley G. Brown](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/peoples-choice-greeley-brown-1872/) (United States · 1872 · Bandwagon, Plain folks)
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- [The Chappaqua farmer](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/chappaqua-farmer-1872/) (United States · Jul 1872 · Plain folks, Glittering generalities)