O (my) gauge!

For fans of the bigger railway layout (and here we are referring to loco size, not track miles!), Aston’s forthcoming sale on 3 November will be something to savour. Up for auction will be the entire collection of the late Professor Maurice Shutler of Warwick, who was a keen O gauge devotee and who had been collecting for over 50 years. So big was his collection that when the family moved, a three storey house was the order of the day, with the third floor – yes, you guessed it – given over entirely to his all-consuming hobby. In all, there will be some 200 locomotives going under the hammer, together with accessories and buildings, some of which date back to the 1920s. Aston’s Chris Aston estimates that the collection could net between £50,000 and £80,000 – that’s a measure of the quality of the items to be sold. Needless to say, it represents the biggest single owner collection that the auction house has ever dealt with to date.
Among the lots will be an O gauge Hornby Princess Royal class 4-6-2, No.6201. This is the highly desirable Princess Elizabeth model, running on 20 volt electrics. Overall condition is put at good, with some repainting  and touching up. The loco is housed in an original, fitted box, and carries a price guide of £850-1,000.

A pre-war O gauge Bassett Lowke 4472 Flying Scotsman will also feature in the sale and is expected to make £300-400. Back to Hornby and model 4073, an example of the Caerphilly Castle, which is finished in the striking Great Western green livery. The loco is described as having had some restoration and could make £140-180. Another interesting Hornby item is the reference 1759 4-4-0 electric Southern L1 tender locomotive. The auctioneer notes that this example has been professionally restored and comes with a reproduction box. Its estimate is £250-350. Finally, another Hornby O gauge, this a 20 volt electric Southern Schools class locomotive, the Eton. This particular example has benefited from some restoration and will be auctioned with a reproduction box: it carries a guide of £250-350.