Trains are still on the right track at Special Auction Services!

Swapmeets and auction houses both tend to feature lots and lots of railway collectables – and for Special Auction Services, this has actually posed a problem in the past. According to Hugo Marsh, The Glorious Trains sales at SAS were created a few years ago after the perennial Trains Galore sale simply overflowed.

“This year, Glorious Trains itself has overflowed,” he says, “with Part One comprising 1,300 lots on 16 and 17 April and Part Two having 585 lots on 29 May.” As it turned out, the sales went well beyond expectations, realising a little under £270,000 in total, with stock from N gauge to 5in gauge. The highlight, he says, was a superb collection of Bassett-Lowke 0 gauge locomotives, freight stock, Exley coaches, buildings and Marklin track that realised a staggering £24,000. Other notable lots included a rare Tri-ang TT blue A1A A1A Diesel Locomotive at £1,050; and a Tri-ang Australian Sydney Suburban Set that was knocked down for £440. Overall, the whole Tri-ang section realised a creditable £23,000.

In the Hornby-Dublo section there lurked an example of the legendary early post-war EDL7 GWR Tank locomotive bearing the ‘Duchess of Atholl’ running number 6231: this attracted much interest and closed on £1,300. Hugo relates that the 7mm Finescale also did well, with a gorgeous Highland Railway ‘Jones Goods’, which made £2,000.

Aside from the above, recent months have seen a bumper harvest for the SAS Collectors’ Department, with the Collectors’ Sale on that included transport memorabilia, postcards and militaria; music and entertainment including some remarkable prices for vinyl records and the later auction saw camera lenses making massive prices: how about £19,500 for a fast Angenieux Type S3 f/1.8 75mm lens?