Canal Digger

While working on a unit on Woolwich Common, I used to have a boss who delighted in having his name on his office door "Dick Head"

Anyone want a BEV & trailer? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Dinky-B-E-V-Train-station-Platform-and-trailer-ref-428-551/164391020398?hash=item264677e76e:g:qowAAOSwmRlfUOPC

Not too far from where I live there is a retirement home, outside of which there are a couple of commercial size refuse bins and a sign next to them "FOR RESIDENTS ONLY"

If you think that that the Dinky Silver Jubilee Coach was listed at an ambitious price, then try this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Matchbox-Moko-Lesney-Train-Locomotive-Rare/114285509885 The little that I have looked into 0 Gauge Clockwork, prices are steep there also, so my collection has avoided them (so far), apart from which I would need to enlarge the house to store/ display. TCS Membership paid

Yes, I've been watching this seller's other items for a while, all very hopeful. Nearholmer re that Bev, if you send me your address (ie message me) I'll post it on to you when it arrives. Have got permission from SWMBO to join TCS. however Paypal link not working

Dinky collectors pay silly money (IMHO) to fill gaps in their collection, as shown by the estimates given by Vectis here: https://www.vectis.co.uk/lot/dinky-pre-war-16-silver-jubilee-train-set-comprising-of_828818

Many thanks, yeah I bought it!

If you are playing Albert, please who is getting the role of Jeremiah Harbottle (Moore Marriott)?

I stand corrected, the Mercury Trains are smaller than I remembered and are indeed N scaleish. My humble apologies

Yes the French made Gulliver Express & JEP look wonderful! I'll guess that Donald Troost's book is somewhat akin to Rocking Horse Poo (rare!), but I'll keep a lookout. Is it still available. His definition of N Scale is nice and elastic, my Barclay, Mercury & Midgetoy models are nearer TT/ H0 than N. Regarding the Lone Star, there is the tender driven, US Loco shown below (missing some wheels), also the Lone Star people that I mentioned a couple of days ago.

Seeing as we are going down the N scale(ish) route I'll try to keep it going, the LNWR King George V Set (as mentioned above), a Birthday Cake Candle Holder Set, a Toot Toot Tootsietoy set [on the board of my N/Z gauge test track] and a unkown set. The loco 'unknown set' bears a remarkable resemblance to the Cresent Loco behind it. yes the middle blue coach(?) is suffering from Zinc Pest. Not sure that I would want some cake that had lead(?) paint flaking over it.

A lot of the Lone Star appears to be a scaled down copy of the Triang, (eg electric track, footbridge, platform & building, people, Jinty, Princess etc). When time permits I'll take a couple of pictures of the Lone Star people for comparison with the Slater's(?) figures on the 'Plastic 00 figures' thread.

Have just uploaded better photos of the Tootsietoy and Wallwork Trains. The Wallwork Floor Train is only about 1/2 complete but even that weighs 9lb (4Kg) being made of cast iron, so I wonder at the thought of a late Victorian child dragging a complete train around the nursery, crashing into ..... . I believe that the loco is based upon a Midland Railway 115 Class , made wider for stability. One day I might get the courage to try stripping the blue & black paint of the coach to take it back to the copper colour

Please is there anyone else interested in Diecast, Cast Iron or Tinplate (beyond Lone Star 000 and 0 Gauge clockwork/ electric)? SWMBO has a Lone Star layout with the 3 types of track that I built for her. I collect anything (trains) that is different from that which most other people don't. This puts me in a gulf between Railway Modellers and the road vehicle dominated Diecast Collectors and I'm very happy there! In turn below are examples from Teddytoy Industries, Japanese Tinplate, Tootsietoy & Henry Wallwork, others can follow if there is the interest.

Many thanks Fred. For the befit of others, there is a much better condition one for sale on ebay (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MARKLIN-MaRKLIN-424-B-STATION-PLATFORM-CANOPY-Bahnhofshalle-1950-VERSION-nl/142537132752?hash=item212fe00ad0:g:288AAOSwKPdZ37va). Being H0, scuppers my idea to use it as part of my vintage 00 diorama/ layout, some of you may recall the topic of my Hugar track and 4 (or 3?) car Southern Set. Oh well, the whole idea is in danger, as my Diecast etc model train collection [Dinky, Tootsiety, Wallwork, Kilgore, S&R..,.] is growing rapidly. Also working on a working 5ft long, 00 scale canal lock, hopefully with trains at phase II. SWMBO will be happy, she allows me to trawl ebay, junk shops, auctions etc for finds such as this, selling on to re-invest in what I’m really interested in.

Hi. Another tinplate station for your expert identification, a bit rusty and the the plastic roof is cracking. I think it's British, based upon the nuts that I've started to undo (prior to me re-rusting and replacing the plastic sheet) the nuts that fit my 5BA spanner (I don't have any thread gauges). The 'bolts' might be threaded rivets, given that I can't see any slots in the heads beneath the paint. There are two 12v torch bulbs to 'light' the inside, doubt that they will provide much light though. Your thoughts please, do I just de-rust or repaint? I usually prefer 'as found'.

Its a Hugar Set (Hugh Gardiner) from about 1943, I know that the trackbases are stamped .../47. I also have the Southern Electric Railcar set but in the belief that the track was US I did not link them together, even though they were in the same auction lot. Please does anyone know what voltage the railcar set would run on, it would be nice to get it working.

Hi, Charles doesn't know this 'remarkable' track, will be appearing on his Mystery Items Page. Having asked the UK Patent Office (the chap there was a bit taken aback by me asking about a 1947 Patent), I'm about to ask in turn the Train Collectors Society, The British Library (on advice from the Patent Office) and the Train Collectors Association (a US group). This is getting interesting, it's amazing what you get in at auctions ... , I wonder if I could persuade SWMBO to let me go to the US to do some research when this CV bug goes away.

Hi Grifone, Just me having fun

Hi Fred, Yes have already contacted Charles. I stumbled over his website by chance (Google can take you on a journey sometimes!) while researching another of my finds, Schiebetrix (Sliding Trix, compares to the non-powered Lone Star 000 but [so far as I know so far] less range and popularity, possibly more detail. Go to https://www.altemodellbahnen.de/t29079f164-Schiebetrix.html for more info. My posting here last night, was an edited 'cut & paste' of my message to Charles. Having read this site for several months, then yesterday the Google translation of the German Model Forum (link above) and Charles's website, I decided to join RM Web, so here I am.

Hi Sarah, Yes and No. Apart from collecting Diecast Model Trains (hence my knowledge about Budgie, I could have also said Benbros or Britains) and 'conventional' Model Railways, I help out with the restoration of my local canal, the Wilts & Berks Canal, so through the WBCT (Wilts & Berks Canal Trust) I am am part of the WRG. Before someone asks, I have tucked away in the loft a Britains Canadian 4-8-2 they made for the 1924 British Empire Exhibition. Also a very similar model of the Flying Scotsman, have yet to fully identify the maker of that one.

Please I have some track that I would like your help to identify. I believe track to be H0 gauge and is US made from 1947. I say US made and 1947, because of the phrase "PROV PAT 23765/47", stamped on underside. I understand that is a US term for a Provisional Patent in 1947. The track is on a plywood base, painted green sides and brown top. Straights measure 6 5/8 x 1 3/8 inch or 170x33 mm, while 16 curves make a circle about 32 inch diameter. Steel rails (no rust!), sections connect together by brass pins.

As a Newbie to RM Web, please can I (in a light-hearted manner) query your registration process (a separate topic that I want to ask about will follow directly)? Registration form asked for a model railway manufacturer beginning 'B', so went for Budgie to get rejected, so resorted to Bachmann. Given that Bachmann is Bermuda registered and Chinese owned company which is more British? Don't worry I'm not normally a trouble maker!