All Posts
Click on any post below to see the detail. Stored in date order - most recent first
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM KATO
Have a look at this brilliant Kato Shinkansen (Bullet Train) from Kato https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02ccJFW58vY
Tri-ang TT from Father Christmas
Well, actually a Christmas bargain from Father Ebay. TT is the only gauge missing from my collection, and I could not resist a bid on this set. It came to me for £46.01, which I think is pretty good value. It also serves another purpose, in that I have always...
A spiral layout from Meccano ?
I have always wanted to build one of these wonderful spiral layouts but never had anywhere near enough Meccano to make such a thing. The nice feature of course is it is endless so just runs and runs, great for shows. If someone could come up with enough Meccano I...
TCS AT ABBEY PUMPING MUSEUM, LEICESTER
Yesterday, 6th December, the TCS were on display at the Leicester Abbey Sewage Pumping Museum annual Christmas event. And what a wonderful event it was. Not only model railway and toy trains, but an endless list of attractions, including: one of the four steam...
DECEMBER 2015 TRAIN COLLECTOR
THE DECEMBER TRAIN COLLECTOR IS OUT and has been sent to all members. Another great issue with articles, among others, on • CCW • Bing US trademarks • The ROVEX plunger Princess (with details of the two ‘pre-production’ examples that only came to light in 2013 – were...
Japanese 0 gauge trains
Most of the classic 0 gauge trains from Japan pre WW2 and just post WW2 come from Seki, Sakai who probably was a successor to Seki and just post WW2 KTM. Seki and Sakai also " badge engineered" their trains for different countries for example Stronlite for the UK...
READING VINTAGE TOY FAIR REPORT
TCS Committee member Malcolm Pugh has sent us this report of the recent event. The Reading Vintage Toy fair is held twice a year, and thanks to organiser Tony Oakes, the TCS are invited to have a presence. For the autumn 2015 event, we created a 3 gauge shuttle...
NEWS ITEM FROM 1919?!
A MYSTERY TRAIN? I was recently sent the above photo of an unknown toy train by the TCA Reference Library who were trying to identify the toy train in it. They thought it was of UK manufacture. Apparently it is a press photo taken in England in 1919 so presumably had...
BING TABLE TOP 00 GAUGE IN VINTAGE ACTION
Quite by chance I came across this brilliant little video on Youtube. It shows an electric Bing Table Top set working on original track and with the original controller. It gets off to a slow start as the soundtrack sets the scene, but is is very much worth waiting...
BING RE-UNITED. A SHORT TABLE TOP STORY
Membership of the TCS has advantages! As well as the brilliant quarterly magazine, "The Collector", membership gives you access to the TCS community. As I am sure most of you know, it is common for engines and tenders to get separated. This can be really...
KATO VISITOR CENTRE, TOKYO, JAPAN
As I am sure you know, KATO is the major Japanese model railway producer. Hidden away in a residential suburb of Tokyo is their visitor centre. When I was there in 2012 their display claimed to have one copy of every model ever made by the company. It is without doubt...
ENOSHIMA ELECTRIC RAILWAY, JAPAN
About one hour south of Tokyo on a fast commuter train, is the seaside resort of Enoshima. Served by a privately owned single track light railway from the main line station at Fujisawa down to the sea, it is a favourite modelling theme in Japan. Within my collection...
WRENN TT READY MADE LAYOUT
I have been contacted by a prospective member who says: I recently bought a ready made TT gauge railway base board, which I believe may have been a Wrenn shop demonstration layout. I was hoping that your membership might know more. It looks like a very nice double...
TCS 2015 AUTUMN GET-TOGETHER, LEICESTER
Here is Bob Leggett's review. There is a selection of pictures at the foot of the report. The full set will be featured in the forthcoming edition of the TCS members magazine, "Train Collector". Finally there is a video of the Christmas G Scale layout. TCS 2015 AUTUMN...
TIN TRAIN ACCESSORIES FROM THE COLLECTION OF FRED VAN DER LUBBE
TRAIN COLLECTOR SOCIETY MEMBER FRED VAN DER LUBBE from Holland has recently put together a fascinating assembly of photos and comment about Tin Train accessories in his collection. In his own words “My train collection consists mostly of rolling stock (locomotives,...
Gnadler the most basic 0 gauge train sets ?
Over the last 25 years I have collected 0 gauge train sets from the widest range of manufacturers possible totalling about 500 so far. I think I can rate Gnadler as the manufacturer of a range of the crudest of them all, that's not to say that all their trains were...
BING TABLE TOP 00 GAUGE
This Bing Table Top 00 gauge electric LMS 513 tank loco is new to me, purchased from a fellow TCS member. I believe it dates from around 1928/30. This morning it has been through its' paces with a three coach train around my Brunswick Road layout. It has been running...
Masadaya Toys, Japan, clockwork floor train
New to my floor train collection courtesy of Ebay is this 4 inch (11 cms) long clockwork engine. The tin printing of a Japanese prototype is vibrant and largely unblemished, and the clockwork mechanism sends it smoothly across the floor with sparks flying out of the...
PROGRESS UPDATE DAVID HOLT’S WRENN MINORIES
David has provided us with an update Three baseboards measuring 5 feet by 1 foot 8 inches have been constructed using 6mm plywood and 2 inch by 1 inch planed timber. Sizes have had to be increased from the original plan to accommodate the Wrenn points which are not...
WUPPERTAL SUSPENSION RAILWAY GERMANY
Last week I visited the suspension railway at Wuppertal Germany. Built between 1901 and 1903, it operates over a route of 13.3 kms (8.5 mls). There are 20 stations along the route serviced by 27 two car trains running as close as 3 minute intervals during peak hours....
Train Collectors Society Leicester show 7th Nov
DON'T FORGET THE LEICESTER SHOW Here is the final update for the show on 7th November. Theme for Club stand Southern Admission £3.00 Opening time 10.00 am to 4.00 pm Layouts James Day & Malcolm Pugh G gauge Bob Fleming HO American...
A train set in a briefcase
Well we don't all have easily accessible lofts or basements to house our train layouts so here is what can be done in a briefcase. These were all showing at the Bob Leggett's Alresford Train show last year I think. Each one is different and at the end of the day you...
More loft layout pictures
I have added some more pictures of my loft layout and various displays as follows ; Top cable car climbs over various tin plate buildings Top French Hornby on the elevated track Below; Marx stations front...
TRAIN COLLECTOR SOCIETY INSPIRES HORNBY BLOG
IN THE LATEST OF SIMON KOHLER’S BLOGS "SIMON SAYS ..." THE TRAIN COLLECTORS SOCIETY AND IN PARTICULAR OUR EDITOR PAT HAMMOND GET A GREAT MENTION Simon Says blog is a regular feature of the Hornby website, in which Simon Kohler muses on how and why a variety of things...
Beckenham and West Wickham MRC Book Sale
BECKENHAM AND WEST WICKHAM MRC BOOK SALE Beckenham and West Wickham MRC the organisers of Beckenham Vintage are selling off their large club library as they no longer have permanent premises. A large number of railway books, many of considerable historic interest will...
Lisbon Trams
I was in Lisbon two weeks ago. What a wonderful tram system they have throughout the city. You can tour on an open top bus, but much better is the tourist tram that winds it's way through narrow streets. As I collect all sorts of tinplate toy trains and trams, I was...
A loft layout in 0 gauge
Many years ago I moved numerous pipes and a large water storage tank typical of older UK homes to squeeze in a loft layout in 0 gauge. In an odd shaped space with angled eves it took a while to get the maximum track distance and number of tracks in the space and...
Chester Train Fair Under the Table Bargains!
Just back from Tony Oakes' Chester Train & Toy Fair. It is always worth looking in the junk boxes most traders have under their stalls. Browsing a stall with mainly modern diecast cars, but with a couple of old tinplate items almost hidden at the back, I realised...
The First Member’s News Post! From David Holt
I am pleased to say David Holt has answered the call, and is the first member to submit some news to our website. David is well known to visitors to our exhibitions, often showing rare and unusual early OO items on a layout of the period. He is also a regular...
Jep Clockwork Set
Bought from Ebay France. A very nice complete and boxed JEP set, including the original key. This little train has a surprisingly fast and long run as it rattles round the original oval track. For those members in the UK, a visit to Ebay France can be rewarding, and...
Train Collectors Society autumn event in Leicester
Don't forget on the Saturday 7th after Guy Fawkes night the TCS hold their great show in Leicester, look on the Events page for details and how to get there. This is now the only TCS event which still serves wonderful home cooking with a Christmas dinner and pud...
AMAZING What You Find On YouTube! Look at this Tinplate Gauge 1 .
Hi everyone, I often browse YouTube for toy train and model railway videos. This German gauge 1 clockwork layout really caught my attention. It plays for just over 5 minutes, and after a slow start the trains run. It displays faultless running through points.....and...
WHAT IS THAT LOGO PHOTO ON THE HOME PAGE?
The answer is the box lid on a Fischer clockwork train set from the early 1930's. I was very fortunate to buy this at the 2013 Biggleswade AGM. As you can see it is a full set in wonderful condition. The photos show it set up, and neatly packed it the box. This...
French Ge Ge station from Train Collectors Society Bring and Buy stall
The joys of the good old bring and buy stall at the recent Train Collectors Society show in August revealed a lovely boxed Ge Ge station and although the box said for HO this is a good size for 0 gauge too. On getting it home it revealed internal lighting so I got to...
A recent tinplate gauge 1 meeting in Bavaria
Some photographs from member Karl Isele of a recent gathering in Bavaria S See http://www.maetrix.net/t1436f46-Bildbericht-von-einem-Spur-Tinplate-Treffen-in-Bayern.html for more details or visit http://kunden.semmet-online.de/Thul/tinplate/ for more about...
4ft 81/2 and All That: A Sort of Railway History
Taking an irreverent look at railway history, "4ft 81/2 and All That: A Sort of Railway History" is a humorous portrayal of the origins of Britain's railway network . W Mills was my Art Teacher at school in the 1960's. This wonderful little book is available new on...
Brilliant YouTube video of French 0 Gauge!
Here is the link.....it really is worth watching. Make sure you have the sound turned on. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC2nWUO4LIM
The smallest end to end layout??
Just 490mm (19.5") long this working layout displays a Modemo N gauge single car electric train. Built from card with Tomytec buildings, it features both rural and suburban stations.
TCS Summer Exhibition 2015
A pleasant summer day with a hint of rain was the perfect weather for yet another excellent show organised by Bryan Pentland and members of the Train Collectors Society. Despite the lure of the Ladies final at Wimbledon, the attendances were up this year and in...
Texans Roll into Town
Train Collector Society shows are so popular they come all the way from Texas to visit. Of course everything is bigger in Texas !! Seen here at Biggleswade 2015, back row from the left is Charles from Texas and Paul, TCS Treasurer, and at the front Bryan, TCS Chairman...
Beckenham Vintage Show
The sixth annual Beckenham Vintage Show rang the changes yet again with nine layouts all different and none repeated from previous years. Plus eight well known traders, the B&WWMRC Club Shop and the much praised good quality catering. The weather was unkind at the...
Show and AGM Biggleswade March 21st 2015
Now the club is at Biggleswade twice a year, it only seems like yesterday when we were at the Summer Show. However this did not diminish the enthusiasm of members and we were treated to another excellent show organised by Brian Pentland which also including the club’s...
2014 Leicester Show Report
Another year, another Leicester and again Paul Draycott with friends and family did not disappoint with another sparkling show. Leaving Alresford just before 6.30am with Neil Bowsher hitching a lift we arrived at the Trinity Church Hall, Leicester at 8.30am. The...
Recent Posts
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Train Collector Issue 77
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Leicester 2025 TCS autumn show
Bob Leggetts report on the TCS Autumn show in Leicester: Many of the exhibitors and Traders arrived Friday pm from... Read more →