Meccano ‘copter flies out the window!

The latest Lacy, Scott and Knight sale had a good many lots given over to railwayana, in addition to a wide range of collectable toys.

A lovely green and white Paddock Wood totem went to a new home for £380 whilst a British Railways Eastern Region dark blue and gold totem enamel railway cap badge entitled "Ticket Collector" (by J R Gaunt, London) made a healthy £75. The rarity of a similar, “Excess Luggage” cap badge, was reflected in the hammer price of £220 while a less prosaic late BR Eastern Region, “Gentleman” enamel sign, with a walking man figure, was bid all the way to £210. Star lot was arguably the drop case railway wall clock, with ovarine plate GWR 664, dial as BR-W, with a paper label on the reverse stating that it was registered at the goods office Swansea Eastern Depot and last repaired at Reading Signals and Telecom department on 16.3.70. In unrestored condition, this fine clock made a whopping £1,450.

There were a number of steam-powered toys for sale on the day, several from Mamod: a TE1A Traction Engine, in heavily used condition, in original box made £40, while an Accessory Work Shop Steam Group, including an SW1 Mamod Steam Wagon, a TE1 Traction engine and a loose horizontal tinplate boiler, all requiring some restoration or repair, fetched £80.

Railways in miniature included a Bachmann Brassworks museum version Doncaster green LNER 4-6-2 'Flying Scotsman' (No. 4472) with an 8 wheel LNER tender: this lovely combination in a fetching colour attracted much interest and finally sold for £300. There were plenty of Tri-ang Hornby models, too, including both engines and rolling stock: a Hornby 1924-8 Seccotine van blue body on a black open axleguard base with an orange roof made £75 and a boxed Hornby 1934-6 green GW EM36 6V AC tank loco (No. 6600), with 12 spoke wheels and no cylinders, was bid to £110. For those with deeper pockets, the Aster GI live steam engine beckoned: in BR green, this A4 4-6-2 'Merlin' No. 60027 with coupled 8 wheel BR tender was complete with a custom built wooden box with brass plaque. Falling short of the £3,000 guideline, it still made a useful £2,700.

Finally, some oddities: the Tri-ang Swordfish Outboard Motor, finished in metallic green, with a white single propeller realised £40 (boat required!) while a Sutcliffe Models oil can, in light blue with filler cap and Sutcliffe transfers, was snapped up for £25. Preferred lot for this writer was the Meccano factory built shop display model of a helicopter, circa 1957, which was mounted on a wooden base, finished in grey and complete with Framco electric motor and illuminated Meccano sign to the front. Simply lovely, this point of sale attraction fell slightly short of £300. ■