HISTORY OF THE MODEL RAILWAY

Article by Graham Paddisson: Valuer & Auctioneer

Like most small boys years ago, I had a clockwork train set myself. I have absolutely no idea what happened to it, probably broken or thrown out when interest had waned, replaced by a lust for something different.

Today collectors are paying serious money for these sets which were usually discarded with cavalier abandon when a bright new electric train set came down the chimney on Christmas morning.

The first toy train sets were manufactured at the end of the 19^th century in Germany by firms such as Bing and Marklin. The locomotives were powered either by clockwork or by spirit fired steam engines. The quality of the toy railways made by Bing and Carette, another German firm, was extremely high and the Germans were to dominate what rapidly became a huge market for a considerable time. The most popular sets were ‘0’ gauge but they produced a whole range of gauges up to seven and a quarter inch – these intended for the gardens of the wealthy railway enthusiast.

In England the leading manufacturer in the early years of the century was Bassett-Lowke, who produced very fine models but were expensive, too expensive to make in-roads into the market share of the Germans. The big British challenge came in the 1920s when Frank Hornby’s Meccano Company created the first Hornby set, a clockwork railway which was designed to suit everybody’s pocket.

Hornby’s first sets were not as accurate and true to scale as those made by Bassett-Lowke or the top German makers, but they were well made and they were soon market leaders, selling huge numbers and not only in Britain but all over the world.

After his success with clockwork trains, Hornby made the obvious move into electric trains and in the 1930s created the world beating three-rail electric sets. However, despite the fact that the more sophisticated – and more expensive – electric sets received more attention, manufacture of clockwork trains continued well into the second half of the century.

Today, clockwork trains have a very large and loyal following, and from time to time we make enthusiasts very happy when we assemble decent collections of clockwork items to go under the hammer.

What is often remarkable – particularly when you consider that it tended to be younger children who got clockwork trains before they moved onto electric railways – is the condition. We see items that are still in their original boxes and in virtually mint condition.

One can marvel at the paragons that owned these toys, treasuring them and taking care of them, when everybody else was kicking them or throwing them at the cat when the temper tantrum was upon them. They have of course had the last laugh – and a very affluent laugh it can afford to be.