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Prehistoric N Gauge


Richard Hall
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Anyone else interested in early British N gauge?  I just acquired an unbuilt Micro Traction kit for a 61xx Prairie tank.  I came across a review of it in an old (1968-9) copy of MRC.  I suspect very few were sold: it has enough design and manufacturing flaws in the mechanism that I wouldn't fancy trying to make it work. I'd love to know more about Micro Traction - who was behind it, how many kits were sold etc etc.  This one will stay unbuilt (I doubt it has been out of the packaging before today) and join my very early Farish Pannier (mid-1971, first three months' production) and Peco Jubilee (date unknown but probably early 1970s, Rivarossi-style packaging) in the relics drawer.  I quite fancy a pre-Hornby Minitrix Britannia as well.

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I thought that was Jamie Micro Traction. I'm not 100% sure but I think the follow-up was supposed to be a N2 0-6-2T.

In the early 1960s Romford supposedly made an R-T-R GWR Pannier tank in 000; I've only ever seen a illustration in an old W&H catalogue.

Edited by BernardTPM
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3 hours ago, BernardTPM said:

I thought that was Jamie Micro Traction.

 

For some reason "Jamie" was dropped.  The MRC review (May 1969, 50 years ago!) refers to the manufacturer as Jamie Micro Traction.  The packaging on my example just says Micro Traction, as does the keeper plate.  But "JMT Ltd" is moulded into the underside of the body.  So who was Jamie?

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Here is the beast in question.  I'm half-tempted to try building it, just for the challenge.  I suspect I would end up crying though.  The amount of play in the motor bearings alone would put off any sensible person.  I don't know where that motor came from (Hong Kong?) but it's a shocker.

 

DSCN1024-L.jpg

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Well, looking at the photo on the magazine page someone built one.  Whether it actually worked or not is a different matter. (*see below) I remember seeing the adverts for these and thinking, with my bias towards things GWR, that it looked 'interesting'.  There wasn't much available for N in those days, especially for those with leanings towards the West.

 

*EDIT - just tried to read the article on the mag page and it says their example wasn't provided with a motor - so it obviously didn't work!

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I wonder if I will ever be "collectable" ? My first involvement in model Railway manufacturing was around this time.  My friend Pete Westwater had started to build a scenic exhibition layout in N. The advent of the Peco Jubilee, a reasonably good RTR loco, made this possible.  It represented a local station and he had converted the Jubilees into B1s. He was prepared to scratch build a few coaches but goods wagons were a problem. At that time the only British goods stock  was repaints of European wagons.  Scratch building a decent length coal train would be soul destroying.  I suggested trying to produce our own plastic kits. I found a moulder and Pete made some moulds.  The plastic wagons and the layout went onto the local Exhibition circuit and later we thought that we could recoup our costs by selling some. The rest as they say is history.  Westwater and Kirk N gauge built up in the early 70s I have a price list somewhere (produced on a duplicator, remember them?) To  the original wagon kits were added scenic items (fencing, telegraph poles and buildings) all moulded in HIPS. I eventually produced a plastic body kit for the Bi to fit the Jubilee chassis.  I tried to buy one back off eBay and failed but a customer swopped one for coach kits. Eventually Farish got going with cheap RTR  British outline wagons and Peco introduced their kits  and sales dropped off but by then I had 009 TT and had started on the 4mm wagon kits that led eventually to Parkside.  Along the way I was prepared to risk borrowing money, Pete was not. So W&K  expanded to become Ian Kirk Models.

Must stop blethering about me. I started this because I remember buying stuff from Micro Traction, 70, possibly 71 (can't remember the Jamie though)  IIRC they were selling driving wheels and gears - I built a few N gauge loco chassis at this time using my own modification of the Triang X500 motor. When Minic Motorways were being discontinued I bought the last of the last production batch (about 500) red e type Jaguars. If I had them now they would probably be worth a fortune but I broke them up and sold the bits.

 

best wishes,

 

Ian

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14 hours ago, Ian Kirk said:

I wonder if I will ever be "collectable" ? My first involvement in model Railway manufacturing was around this time.

Sometime in the early 1980s I acquired the sides ends and floor of one of your LNER non-corridor Thirds, but of the flush sided variety. I had a pair of W&K Gresley bogies already, but I added a modified Farish roof and seats from one of their suburban coaches. Still needs finishing.

LNERflushThird.jpg.59a68a89785568987d98952dcd1ae764.jpg

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Another Micro Traction snippet - I just came across a reference to the man behind Micro Traction having previously worked for Airfix.  That would explain why he was confident about doing the whole thing in moulded plastic.  According to the same source the Prairie was supposed to be followed by a J39.

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