As NH55 connecting Siliguri with Darjeeling has many curves like this one, drivers are warned against speeding with road signs. Picture by Kundan Yolmo

Siliguri, May 5: You may have had a hearty laugh while manoeuvring a sharp turn along NH55 — yellow signs like “Better Be Late Mr Motorist Than The Late Mr Motorist” or “Divorce Speed If You Are Married” cautioned you rather humourously against the speedy drive.

Now you will see these famous yellow signs — more than 70 in number and faded over the years — freshly painted in the same colour thanks to the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society (DHRS), the UK-based association of toy-train lovers.

“These road signs are interesting and have bedecked the DHR route along NH55 since ages. They were a source of amusement for toy-train lovers while taking a ride either up to Darjeeling or down to Siliguri,” said Vivek Baid, a member of the DHR India Support Group — the Indian chapter of the DHRS.

The signs, some of which date back to pre-Independence period, warned the drivers of sharp turns, crossings, Z-reverses and loops, which lay ahead during the 80km journey between Darjeeling and Siliguri.

These signs have also found place in the UK when the DHRS recreated stations like Sukna there. They introduced fridge magnets of these signs to raise money for community services last year.

“DHRS members David Barrie and Neil Knowdden were dismayed to see the condition of these signs and came forward to re-paint them. The PWD department was supposed to maintain these signs,” Baid added.

The signs like “Don’t Fly But Ply” and “Hurry Burry Spoils The Curry” cheer up first-time travellers who are jittery of the twists and turns of the uphill drive.

“The signals start from Sukna and dot the roads right up to Darjeeling. We have finished work on 50 signs and 25 more remain to be painted,” he added.

Peter Tiller, the conservation-architect of the DHRS, provided the list of phrases that he had jotted down during his frequent trips to Darjeeling. “Some signs had faded, but thanks to Peter Tiller, we were able to write them again. No new additions have been made though,” Baid said.