Four-Figure bidders For ‘lost beattie’ plate
The smokebox numberplate from beattie 2‑4‑0 well tank No. 30586 ‑ the only one of the Wenfordbridge china clay trio not to survive into preservation ‑ has been sold in auction for a mighty £4,300, three times the expected figure. any fears that raising the buyer’s premium from 10% to 15% (both excluding Vat) earlier this year might adversely affect business were surely dismissed by some notable prices paid in the september 3 sale at stoneleigh. It seemed as if bidders had money to burn when the smokebox plate no. 82018 from a routine Br ‘3Mt’ 2‑6‑2t raised £2,100 against its estimate of £350‑500. a repainted ‘K2’ nameplate from no. 61782 Loch Eil also exceeded expectations at £13,500 (estimate £7,000‑10,000), while King Edward VI from Gwr 4‑6‑0 no. 6012 upheld expectations by reaching its top estimate of £25,000. another estimate‑buster was the nameplate from Gwr ‘6800’ class no. 6861 Crynant Grange that sold for £10,500, well above its £6,000‑8,000 guide price. another winner was an engraved brass worksplate from a standard gauge industrial, Peckett 0‑4‑0st w/no. 832 of 1900, that sold for £2,000 more than its expected £400. equally impressive was a worksplate from Kitson, w/no. 1903 of 1873, from a 3ft 9in gauge 4‑6‑0t that worked in spain until the mid‑1960s, that sold at £3,300 (£400‑600). a third industrial success was the nameplate Pitsford from a standard gauge avonside 0‑6‑0st, w/no. 1917, new to Pitsford Ironstone co. in December 1923, that raised £3,000 (£700‑1,000). renamed Earl Fitzwilliam in preservation, this locomotive currently resides at the elsecar railway. top totems included a Br(w) wellington salop for £2,600 (£1,200‑1,500), and Br(ne) flamborough that made £3,800 (£2,500‑ 3,000). there was a strong east lincolnshire line theme among the eastern totems on offer, with Grimsby town at £2,900, (£1,500‑ 1,800), spalding town at £2,100 (£1,000‑1,500), Kirton at £1,600 (£500‑ 800), and firsby at £640 (£400‑600). one of the bargains of the day was the Peterborough east totem at £540 (£1,000‑1,500). z Gcra’s next sale at stoneleigh is on December 3.