Chuffed! Model trains auctioned for £230k

Anthony Adler

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A STAGGERING £230,000 has been raised for charity after 4,000 model trains and carriages acquired by one Oldham collector went under the hammer.

The rare items, collected by former Oldham Solicitor and model train collector Antony Adler, had expected to fetch around £150,000 during the two-day auction at Wright Marshall Fine Arts last week.

Many of the valuable collectables, including trains in mint condition and some which had never been removed from their original packaging, sold for almost double their estimate.

The 1,350-lot collection, described as one of the UK's largest, attracted international attention, with online and telephone bids coming from around the world.

One lot, featuring a boxed Corgi Bassett-Lowke "0" gauge Princess Elizabeth locomotive, had been predicted to sell for up to £500, but raised a bid of £780 at the auction.

Peter Ashburner, Wright Marshall's specialist toy valuer, said: "The price achieved for this train was well in excess of what we normally achieve for this particular model, and in my view this is because of the absolutely immaculate condition of it and the fact that it had the original duster and all the paperwork with it."

A rare boxed Golden Age Models Limited 00 gauge 4-6-2 locomotive No. 4498 Sir Nigel Gresley, with eight wheel tender in blue LNER livery, also sold for £1,000.

Mr Ashburner added: "I'm delighted that this particular loco sold for its top estimate. Golden Age Models are of exceptional quality and there is strong demand for it."

The auction, in conjunction with Ryder & Dutton, took place at auction house Beeston Castle Salerooms, Tarporley, Cheshire.

Mr Adler, who died in 2015 at the age of 81, served as a councillor in Oldham during the 1960s and 1970s for the Liberal Party and was Oldham Council's first-ever chairman for community relations.

He was also Oldham's District Health Authority chairman for over six years, ending in March, 1986, and chairman of the Oldham Amateurs after being involved with the theatrical group for 28 years.

He was inspired to begin collecting model trains while sheltering from the rain near a model train store and thought the hobby may help relaxation.

His incredible collection took more than 35 years to accumulate.