Branch line totem takes pole railwayana position at LSK
ABR( E) totemsign fromthe Hertfordshirestation of Hadhamwent under the hammer for£ 1900 ataLacy Scott& Knight railwayana and model train sale in Bury St Edmunds on June 27. Situatedonthe 14- mile StMargarets to Buntingford branch, the stationwas opened by the Great EasternRailway in July 1863. It closed to passengers inNovember 1964 andtofreight10 months later.
Thetotem’s realisationwasbeatenby the leading railwaymodel, anexhibition quality5in gauge live steam0- 4- 0T in LMSlivery thatwent for £ 2500, behind whichat£ 1400 cameapart- completed 7 ¼ in gauge livesteammodel of Stephenson’s 0- 2- 2 Rocket.
One of the lots in theauctionwas an 80- year- old O- gauge electric train set thathad a royal connection. Theset, comprisingaNewYork Central Railroad locomotive, wagons, track and other fittings, was presentedtoayoung David Madden by theDuchess ofWindsor, formerlyWallis Simpson, asagift at a Christmas Dayparty in 1941.
Thepresentationwas inthe Bahamas, wheretheDuchess’s husband, the former Edward VIII, who hadabdicated in 1936 to marry MrsSimpson, was Governor. David’s mother Evelyn worked atadancestudio in the Bahamian capital Nassau, and included with the train setwasaphotograph of a wide- eyedandawestruck David being giventhe presentby theDuchess at GovernmentHouse.
Theset, made by LouisMarx& Coof
NewYork and still in its original box, went under the hammer for£ 380. Prices excludebuyer’s premiumof 20% (+ VAT).
Afeatureof LacyScott& Knight’s current auctions is that, in addition to online, commission and telephone bidding, they areheld infront of a live audience inthe hall, unlikemanyother auctions, and also allowviewing in the twodays leading up to the sale.
Thecompany’sOliver Leggett said:“We fully complywith all the coronavirus guidelines, including social distancing, limited capacityand seats evenly spaced, andwealsocontinue to distribute full colour catalogues.”