A huge single owner collection of 00 gauge model railways and railwayana from a deceased estate in West Cumbria sold for a jaw-dropping £74,497 at Mitchells in Cockermouth last week.
The immense private collection comprised over 1,000 locomotives, including over 400 of them boxed, and approximately 3,000 pieces of rolling stock, as well as display cases, pictures, railway signage, lamps, books, model kits and a large amount of crafting materials for building scenery.
The most valuable lots in the sale were two original signs from Cockermouth Railway Station which closed in 1966, just before the demise of the Penrith to west coast line.
A Hawkes Eye aluminium sign measuring 48 x 18 inches sold for £3,300 to a local buyer whose grandfather used to be a steam engine driver.
The other, an enamel totem sign measuring 36 x 10 inches, was sold for £4,500 to a collector in Wales who also bought a brass single line key token for the Brigham and Cockermouth for £470.
The most valuable of the model trains was a Bachmann branch line Western Pullman train set which made £380. Two reproduction warship class name plates, Conquest and Grenville, measuring approximately 20 x 12 ins and 42 x 12 inches sold for £320 for the pair.
READ MORE: Rare gun and cartoons go under hammer at Mitchells auction
Eleven Hornby Dublo ICI caustic soda tanks went for £300 and five boxes of 00 gauge diesel locomotives and chassis, spares and repairs made £280.
Diesel shunters were also in demand with two sets of five making £280 and £260 respectively and another set of six selling for £240.
Two boxed Bachmann Midland Pullman six car units went for £240 each.
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