King and Saint head up collection of live steam models set for April auction
FOUR exhibition-quality live steam models from a major Midlands collection will be going under the hammer in a Dreweatts auction on April 20 at estimates of up to £25,000.
All are in 5in gauge, and comprise GWR trio Nos. 6026 King John, 2921 Saint Dunstan, and 7825 Lechlade Manor, and Standard 2MT No. 78019.
The £25,000 top estimate is carried by the model of the King, which was constructed in 1974 and rebuilt in 2007. Its features include a silvers-oldered copper boiler with stainless steel superheater, a detailed cab that includes a steam pressure gauge set at 90psi, water sight glass, and regulator, and a chassis having twin outside and twin inside gunmetal cylinders and Stephenson's valve gear.
The six-wheeled tender has a fitted water hand-operated feed pump, and the model is finished in 1934 GWR livery with polished brightwork.
No. 6026 was built at Swindon in July 1930 at what is by today's standards the unbelievably low price, including tender, of £7175. It ended its days at London's Old Oak Common shed (81A) in September 1962 – the year in which the entire class was withdrawn – with 1,622,350 miles on the clock, giving it a monthly average during its 32 years in service of more than 4200.
The models of the Saint, which has a top estimate of £18,000, and the Manor (£12,000), have features similar to those of the King, including the 1934 livery. From a more modern era of locomotive design comes the fourth model, of 2-6-0 No. 78019. Its mechanical details are similar to the GWR models, and this too is estimated at up to £12,000.
Origin
All four are from the collection of the Hewell & Tardebigge model steam garden railway near Redditch, Worcestershire. It is reducing its stock 20 years after being set up by retired chartered surveyor Michael Price and live steam scale model engineer John Glaze. John has won a number of awards for his models, and his father and grandfather both worked for the GWR.
Dreweatts' steam and model engineering consultant, Michael Matthews, said: “These models were built to the very highest standards, and are being sold with full engine and boiler histories, all having been recently run on the railway.”
In addition to these locomotives, 21 other lots from the collection will be included in the auction, comprising 16 handbuilt private owner wagons, two Southern Railway luggage vans, two United Dairies milk tankers, and a rake of six GWR coaches, the last of which is expected to sell as a set for up to £6000.
Although not from the collection, another eye-catching model is a 3½in gauge First World War railway gun which, after completion by Mr D Swan, of West Lothian, in 2010, won the best exhibit award in the Harrogate Model Engineering Exhibition.
Estimated at up to £5000, it is almost 4ft long and features detailed rivet-work, stabilising arms with adjustable ground supports, a 9.2in bore gun, direction control wheels, and a polished steel finish with brass bearings and mounts.
The auction, to be conducted by Dreweatts managing director Jonathan Pratt, starts at 10.30am, and bidding will be live online or by telephone or commission.