Weekend Tinplate photos 📸 and videos 📽 1/16/20!

My slice of blue comet.  All original pretty nice 390E and blue baby states.  Perfect!

I understand the attraction to the engine specific sounds in today’s O gauge offerings these days, no doubt, that’s cool.  But the sound of a 90 year old train set on track of like vintage, is music to my ears.  The little creaks, and squeaks and groans, to me is part of the appeal of these trains.  I like to think my certain style in life is simple elegance.  Doesn’t have to be over fancy, just done really well.  These guys fit the bill.  Have fun.

Cheers!       W1

Nessmuck posted:

Haven’t dipped my toes in Tin Plate yet...... How and where does one starting looking ? What to stay away from...all that good stuff. Thanks

Watch out for unscrupulous folks on eBay and at train shows. Having said that, train shows with honest sellers can be great. I bought some nice Dorfan cars a few years ago at a show for $5-10 each. There is a lot of tinplate on the market so there should be good sales to be found and decent examples...you just need to proceed carefully. 

Good luck!

Tom  

Tom my conceus has been bothering me about that sale, I'll stop by your place later and give you your money back........

You’re conscience must really be bothering you, you forgot how to spell conscience.  Well, at least you’ve got one, lest it be bothered.

Cheers,       W1

To avoid all problems above I suggest I pay shipping on the Dorfan cars above and you send them to me ... that way everyone can feel good about it

Jim O'C posted:

New to me this month.

Fandor coach asst.

Hello Jim,

that´s wrong, no Fandor. They was made by Karl Bub, model No 540W. The 2 in the middle with closed doors are in the catalog 1927, the other are older, you can find them in the Carette catalog 1911 (made by Bub but sold by Carette)

Greetings

Arne

I have posted this on another thread but thought the tinplate folks might like to see it.  I attended the big train show in Plano, Tx yesterday and came away with this Pre-War , Chicago Flyer station.  It is labeled, "No 93, Flyer Town Depot" and it is quite small, lithographed brick with a metal platform (grey sheet metal) and roof (green sheet metal).   Total size of the "house" is only 5 1/2" x 2 1/4 " x 3" to the peak on the sides.  The white crate lithographed on the baggage cart says..."From the American Flyer Mfg Co, Chicago Il" on it.   As you can see, its a long way from LN but as I have commented before...so am I

I also purchased a beautiful Hornby Steam Set, O'gauge, engine , tender, freight cars and caboose likely from the 1950's (late).  Once i get it unpacked from its trip home I will post some pictures.

Don

Enclosed are pictures of a Hornby "goods set" that I purchased at the Plano, Tx train show yesterday.  Their condition is almost LN except for the tender which has a few scratches on the opposite side.  The locomotive is a Type 51, clockwork, introduced in this BR Green livery (only one the type 51 was ever offered in) in 1954.  It was listed as available in the Mecanno Sales list until May 1961 and did not appear in the June 1961 list or later.  However, on this tender the "Lions over the Wheel" BR emblem the lions both face forward, which dates it as 1960 or before (according to the "Hornby Companion Series, Vol 5").  If indeed it was a set (as sold) then the goods set was only offered till 1958 (I have no evidence that this was sold as a set).  The SAXA SALT van was introduced in 1957 as was the Brake Van (caboose).  The Shell Lubricating Oil tanker was introduced in 1955.   Plastic wheels which are what are on all the cars and the tender were introduced in 1951.  Included  below are more detailed pictures.

The Type 51 loco and tender. The type number is listed on the Boiler back head.

Shell Lubricating Oil tanker van

SAXA SALT van, note hatch in roof where it was supposedly loaded, making it sort of a covered hopper

"Brake Van" or I suppose a caboose in the US.  The fact that the lithography shows no side doors , according again to the Hornby book means that it dates from 1957 at the earliest.

All told, this locomotive and wagons dates from the period 1957 -1961 as individual pieces.  If sold as a set (again I have no evidence of that) it would be dated to 1958 at the latest otherwise components could have been sold as late as 1961.  Mecanno continued to sell available stock until 1964 and then passed it on to jobbers who continued to sell at least the wagons until the late 1960's.  I would date this "set" from 1957 to 1961,  All the wagons (cars) have "Made in England, Mecanno Ltd, Hornby" in 2 lines stamped into the frame.

As you can see I was just thrilled to find this, I have no idea how to operate it but I know there is a "clockwork" guru out there somewhere and perhaps he / she can help!!  I am not winding it up until I get more data.  These were no simple kids "wind up toys", clockwork in Europe was a serious means of powering toy trains.  This has about 4 - 5 different levers and trips as well as a speed governor so HELP if anyone is out there!

Don

saw a one of kind set like along time ago,,,,so had some junkers and a #9,,,,if I had to do it again I would have used at least one better car,,,but a good and long project,next !

Don McErlean posted:

 

As you can see I was just thrilled to find this, I have no idea how to operate it but I know there is a "clockwork" guru out there somewhere and perhaps he / she can help!!  I am not winding it up until I get more data.  These were no simple kids "wind up toys", clockwork in Europe was a serious means of powering toy trains.  This has about 4 - 5 different levers and trips as well as a speed governor so HELP if anyone is out there!

Don

Nice find!

Indeed there were also larger more serious trains powered with clockwork, but a train like this Hornby was just a toy. There are two levers in the cab, the right one is start/stop (pull to stop/push to start), the left one is forward/backward (push for forward/ pull for backward; push or pull completely). And of course you need a key to wind.

Here is a black version running in my garden.

BTW: why are all pictures vertical?

Regards

Fred

terry hudon posted:

saw a one of kind set like along time ago,,,,so had some junkers and a #9,,,,if I had to do it again I would have used at least one better car,,,but a good and long project,next !

Terry,

Do I understand correctly that this is all your work?  It is beautiful!  Isn't this a wonderful hobby!

Northwoods Flyer

Greg

Greg J. Turinetti posted:

terry hudon posted:

saw a one of kind set like along time ago,,,,so had some junkers and a #9,,,,if I had to do it again I would have used at least one better car,,,but a good and long project,next !

Terry,

Do I understand correctly that this is all your work?  It is beautiful!  Isn't this a wonderful hobby!

Northwoods Flyer

Greg

myself and krylon !

@Don McErlean It is just as Fred says with the cab levers , nothing to worry about and very straight forward .. the underneath levers are track based and allow hands off braking or reversing , this is done with a special track section that has two activation tabs inbuilt . One for brake the other for reversing.

There is also the more basic one that only did braking , and of course only had one lever/tab unit .

Wind up and have a play.... best way to learn !

Dont be too scared of winding up , you will feel increased tightness towards the end of the wind that lets you know you are getting close to the end , start out low and increase your winds as you feel comfortable ... a little oil on the moving parts will never go astray and help with friction , just dont have it dripping ! LOL!

After not being used a for possibly many years , it might take some patience but the more its run and cleaned/maintained the better its performance will be , there might be a break in period while things loosen up again

 @sncf231e

Fred ... I think Don like to imagine us all huddled around the monitor with our heads resting on our shoulders trying to see his pics

He is evil that man , evil I tells ye!

sncf231e posted:

Don McErlean posted:

 

As you can see I was just thrilled to find this, I have no idea how to operate it but I know there is a "clockwork" guru out there somewhere and perhaps he / she can help!!  I am not winding it up until I get more data.  These were no simple kids "wind up toys", clockwork in Europe was a serious means of powering toy trains.  This has about 4 - 5 different levers and trips as well as a speed governor so HELP if anyone is out there!

Don

Nice find!

Indeed there were also larger more serious trains powered with clockwork, but a train like this Hornby was just a toy. There are two levers in the cab, the right one is start/stop (pull to stop/push to start), the left one is forward/backward (push for forward/ pull for backward; push or pull completely). And of course you need a key to wind.

Here is a black version running in my garden.

 

BTW: why are all pictures vertical?

Regards

Fred

My phone sometimes takes pictures that way. It is not obvious how to correct them before posting. I figured it out, but I consider myself more technically oriented than most people. It’s better to post something, than nothing at all.

George

George S posted:

sncf231e posted:

Don McErlean posted:

 

 

 

BTW: why are all pictures vertical?

Regards

Fred

My phone sometimes takes pictures that way. It is not obvious how to correct them before posting. I figured it out, but I consider myself more technically oriented than most people. It’s better to post something, than nothing at all.

George

A phone that takes pictures? I thought a camera was made to take pictures.

Regards

Fred

OK Fellows, thanks for the compliments and I accept the criticism's .  First SNCF231E / Fred, and FATMAN - thank you for the help with the operating information on my new Hornby acquisition.  I also watched the video of your garden operation Fred and it was really great to see one of the type of engines running.  My read from the Hornby book is that the 50 and 51 loco were the same except for the color of the livery, so my engine should be able to run something like yours.  I will admit to being amazed that wind up trains can perform like shown in your video.  Fatman thanks for the info on the track trips, I don't have track at this time but will keep looking.

OBTW as George S posted, the pictures are vertical because that is the way they come out the best in terms of size and detail from my phone.  I am sure there is a way to rotate them and I will look for it but again I agreed with George, better to post something than nothing.

Thanks again everyone for your help and information.  If I get her up and running I will try to insert video (unfortunately as you might imagine, if I can't do pictures right what hope is there I can do video )

Don

I HAVE FIGURED OUT HOW TO MAKE THE PICTURES HORIZONTAL SO...(ESP SNCF231E) I HAVE DECIDED TO RESCIND BY "EVIL" WAYS OF VERTICAL PICTURES.  HERE ARE THE SAME PICTURES AS YESTERDAY BUT HORIZONTAL...YEA !!!!

VICTORY - HORIZONTAL PICTURES!

Best Wishes Everyone

Don

Arne posted:

Jim O'C posted:

New to me this month.

Fandor coach asst.

Hello Jim,

that´s wrong, no Fandor. They was made by Karl Bub, model No 540W. The 2 in the middle with closed doors are in the catalog 1927, the other are older, you can find them in the Carette catalog 1911 (made by Bub but sold by Carette)

Greetings

Arne

Thank you for the clarification. I will now have to review my Fandor inventory for additional errors as I thought the reinforced girder below the couplers was a Fandor feature. Work to be done.

Today I made an amazing discovery, right in my own home!  Apparently in 1988 (according to my own yellowed inventory index card) I acquired a nearly new Hornby No 1 Goods Platform, LN in the box.  I must have then put it away and in 3 subsequent moves it got pushed back into deep storage.  Today in looking for some other things I re-discovered it.  It really is LN and I am sure has never been used or put on a layout. I likely have not seen it in at least 10 years even though I clearly had it in storage.   I can't remember where I got it but there it is. Wow I must admit it really is kind of neat. This was made between 1951 and 1955.  End date known because (according to the book "Hornby Vol 5, Gauge O" in 1956 the roof color changed to orange and the "fire buckets" lithographed on the wall were removed. These were new in the design when they were lithographed on the wall in the re-introduction postwar in 1949 but the box code for this box, 42340,  dates it post spring 1951.  70 years old and finally out of the box!!

Anyway, it was an amazing day for me. Now I have an "official" goods platform to go with my new Hornby goods train, shown earlier in this thread...!

Regards everyone  Don

Don McErlean posted:

Today I made an amazing discovery, right in my own home!  Apparently in 1988 (according to my own yellowed inventory index card) I acquired a nearly new Hornby No 1 Goods Platform, LN in the box.  I must have then put it away and in 3 subsequent moves it got pushed back into deep storage.  Today in looking for some other things I re-discovered it.  It really is LN and I am sure has never been used or put on a layout. I likely have not seen it in at least 10 years even though I clearly had it in storage.   I can't remember where I got it but there it is. Wow I must admit it really is kind of neat. This was made between 1951 and 1955.  End date known because (according to the book "Hornby Vol 5, Gauge O" in 1956 the roof color changed to orange and the "fire buckets" lithographed on the wall were removed. These were new in the design when they were lithographed on the wall in the re-introduction postwar in 1949 but the box code for this box, 42340,  dates it post spring 1951.  70 years old and finally out of the box!!

Anyway, it was an amazing day for me. Now I have an "official" goods platform to go with my new Hornby goods train, shown earlier in this thread...!

Regards everyone  Don

 

 

Wow, that really does define mint! Glad it was stored in a safe, dry place.