Victorian Model Railway

[Il Grifone]

By chance I found this on eBay

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Antique-1898-Photo-Article-Victorian-Complete-Model-Railway-Full-Room-London-NW/251529073367?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D38661%26meid%3Ddedc5a5b0f6d4ef191d573323587d714%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D201714723567

 

This must be one of the first 'proper' railways with some sort of scenic treatment.

[Brit70053]

By equal chance, yesterday I was re-reading for the umpteenth time the one off ‘Model railways Magazine Extra’ entitled “All About Model Railways”, written by C J Freezer and published around 1983.

At the bottom of page 8, under the paragraph heading “Enter Bassette Lowke”,  Cyril Freezer outlines how a few men of means saw that they could produce credible representations of the railway of the day (circa 1890)  but using their wealth to obtain models superior to the crude toy trains generally available.

He proceeds to write about Percy Leigh, who “must have been a man of considerable substance, for he had built for him a large model railway which was described in the first of Harmsworth’s Magazine (1898) as a £10,000 toy" –  pages from the publication reproduced by Il Grifone in the OP.

Cyril Freezer speculates both on the accuracy of that valuation at a time when £1,000 was a vast sum of money, and also that this may have been the first purpose built ‘Model Railway Room’ to be constructed as such, although it appears that alternative use of the room was possible if required.

He concludes this too brief account of this specific model railway with his opinion that :- “ in broad terms, Mr Leigh and his contractors, Lucas and Davis of London, produced the first near scale scenic model railway on record”.

This fascinating account aside, the whole of this publication is well worth reading if a copy can be found. Time span aside, Cyril Freezers writings therein are very relevant in most aspects today. In one chapter addressing the ever increasing problem of space for a layout, I had the impression he must have minutely examined my current abode, for he described it in the most accurate detail.

 

Regards,

 

Edit to close 'quotes' (")

 

               John

Edited November 18, 2016 by Brit70053

[Il Grifone]

The sum of £10,000 is indeed vast (1-2 million in today's money), but, considering the scale - something like 1:10 if the 6 inch gauge is correct - and the quoted £320 for the locomotive, not impossible. Twenty six foot diameter curves certainly require a large room.

[Brit70053]

Cyril Freezer was of the opinion that the £10,000 quoted must have included the cost of the "special building, a large, ornate hall measuring some 30' by 90' " in which the model railway was housed. He also suggests that some 'journalistic licence' over the sum quoted in Harmsworth should be allowed for, as " in those days a thousand pounds was a considerable sum indeed".

 

John

[Il Grifone]

The article does state that the room was specially built and that the £10,000 is a guesstimate. "I am not permitted to state exactly how much this has cost" (SWMBO must not find out?).

 

At the time £200 could have bought a small house and a top link locomotive driver was on about 30/- a week. (In perspective some of Mr. Waterman's locomotives are worth over £100,000 today.)

[K14]

Fascinating stuff.

 

The 4-4-0 & coaches were auctioned at Bonhams back in 2010 with a guide price of £25-35K:— https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/18218/lot/249/ Unlike other lots, there's no clue as to what they actually fetched... did they remain unsold?

Clicking on the images blows them up - the carriage interior is pretty astounding by today's standards, let alone getting on for 120 years ago.

 

There's a link at the end of the sales blurb that points to an on-line version of the article (with photos) on Project Gutenberg:— http://www.gutenberg.org/files/29716/29716-h/29716-h.htm

[Brit70053]

Thanks for the link to the complete text and illustrations of this fascinating article on Mr. Leigh's railway K14, wonderful reading and an insight to the context of the time.

Initially a self indulgent extravagance perhaps, but it is good to see that the railway was occasionally open to a paying audience (though presumably selected invited guests)and that the proceeds went to charitable causes.

 

regards,

 

John

[Il Grifone]

I wonder if Mr Leigh ever got his goods engine....

[PatB]

According to this site, 320 GBP is the equivalent (under one of their definitions) of 32,150 GBP today, so if the loco and stock went for something close to their estimate, I'd say the buyer got a bit of a bargain .

[Il Grifone]

According to this site, 320 GBP is the equivalent (under one of their definitions) of 32,150 GBP today, so if the loco and stock went for something close to their estimate, I'd say the buyer got a bit of a bargain .

 

The figures quoted on that site are a bit dodgy IMHO - the true value is somewhere in the middle*. I believe the inflation over the whole 20th century is of the order of 100 times to which should be added about twice in this century making around £320 x 200 = £64,000, which roughly equates with Mr. Waterman's models. There is no mention of the figure raised on Bonham's website, which suggests they didn't sell despite their historical importance. It's true a 6" gauge locomotive is quite a large and heavy object, which would possibly make it less attractive to collectors, not to mention the coaches and wagons.

That £320 would be increased by 20% VAT today and Mr Leigh would have paid a lot less income tax on the £320 in the first place.

 

* It is very difficult to make comparisons as we are comparing different societies. It's rather like today's third world. The monthly income on which people survive (however badly), wouldn't even scratch the surface of our monthly outgoings.

[PatB]

The figures quoted on that site are a bit dodgy IMHO - the true value is somewhere in the middle*. I believe the inflation over the whole 20th century is of the order of 100 times to which should be added about twice in this century making around £320 x 200 = £64,000, which roughly equates with Mr. Waterman's models. There is no mention of the figure raised on Bonham's website, which suggests they didn't sell despite their historical importance. It's true a 6" gauge locomotive is quite a large and heavy object, which would possibly make it less attractive to collectors, not to mention the coaches and wagons.

That £320 would be increased by 20% VAT today and Mr Leigh would have paid a lot less income tax on the £320 in the first place.

 

* It is very difficult to make comparisons as we are comparing different societies. It's rather like today's third world. The monthly income on which people survive (however badly), wouldn't even scratch the surface of our monthly outgoings.

 

Which is, presumably why the site I linked offers at least three different means of comparing values across time. I'd agree though that, however one measures it, such a comparison is very difficult to do in any meaningful way, given the social and economic changes that have occurred in the intervening century and a bit. Realistically, I suspect that any comparison becomes pretty iffy looking back beyond WW2 and certainly loses any real connection beyond WW1.

[Nearholmer]

Cracking stuff!

 

I've seen several references to the article, but never the article itself, and certainly not the pictures.

 

Kevin

[Paul H Vigor]

On 18/11/2016 at 14:03, Brit70053 said:

Thanks for the link to the complete text and illustrations of this fascinating article on Mr. Leigh's railway K14, wonderful reading and an insight to the context of the time.

Initially a self indulgent extravagance perhaps, but it is good to see that the railway was occasionally open to a paying audience (though presumably selected invited guests)and that the proceeds went to charitable causes.

 

regards,

 

John

I fear that the term "...self indulgent extravagance..." might be applied to many of the things we do and the objects we buy, by our own local domestic authorities!?

[Il Grifone]

14 hours ago, Paul H Vigor said:

I fear that the term "...self indulgent extravagance..." might be applied to many of the things we do and the objects we buy, by our own local domestic authorities!?

 

No doubt about that!

What I consider a bargain, is still a 'waste of money'  for both wife and daughter. I also get, "Why not sell it?" (I sold some stuff once (eBay/boot sale) and regret it to this day....

[Paul H Vigor]

9 hours ago, Il Grifone said:

 

No doubt about that!

What I consider a bargain, is still a 'waste of money'  for both wife and daughter. I also get, "Why not sell it?" (I sold some stuff once (eBay/boot sale) and regret it to this day....

I guess one effect of the current show cancellations is not having to try to smuggle one's show goodies into the house!?  I could NEVER be a dealer - I get TOO attached to my models.

[Il Grifone]

I'd rather have the shows and the smuggling problem! 

Stuck here in Sardinia (now postponed until July at least), the shows do not even exist.