TCS Autumn Meet Leicester 2nd Nov 2013

Report by Bob Leggett, Photos Dave McCarthy
Please click on images for full size photo

 I can’t believe the year has flown by so quickly and once again I find myself in Leicester for the Annual TCS Christmas Event organised by Paul Draycott and friends and family. Leaving Hampshire at 6.15 I had a pleasant two hours listening to Anneka on Radio 2 and was able to set up my ‘wonderful’ sales table in good time for the early arrivals.

Once again there was a good mix at the show with some interesting static displays.

 I will describe the show as one enters the foyer. The TCS Stand was manned by Rod Hannah and Tony Stanford who greeted everyone on arrival and were delighted to announce two new members were signed up.

Payment was received by members of the Trinity Church who were donated £350 from the show.

 Traders in the Foyer included old stagers John Ridley, Chris Ford, Albert Chapman and Peter Corley, John had his usual mix of Tri-ang, Dublo and other makes, Peter was clearing the last of his collection of unusual 00 Gauge, Chris had a table full of spares and Albert had some O gauge, however his best sale was a nice S Gauge Palitoy battery operated boxed set. The buyer was a volunteer at Leicester Museum who said he purchased it for their Christmas display, Why Albert asked, and the reply ‘it was made in Leicester’

In the opposite corner David Postlethwaite, Dave Parry and Pete Wright worked all day on the club Bring and Buy Stall. Sales included some good O gauge and when I was there they reported sales of over £200

Others selling in the foyer included Phil and Bertie Goater who sold amongst other things some Meccano and a quantity of Hornby Track, I also noticed an uncommon Mettoy tin Fire Station and some Tri-ang Arkitex on their table

Elaine’s Trains had as usual a good quality selection of  00 Gauge and reported steady sales

Andrew Hyelman took up the theme for the show and had a wonderful display of ‘ Continental’ items, including a nice Eggerbahn Set, uncommon PIKO and Jouef sets, Liliput ‘English ‘ coaches and Pocher, Russian and BUCO models.

Opposite Mark Carne had a selection of mainly O gauge items for sale, however I did spot an unusual post-war Australian Maurlyn Streamline Loco and tender for £165, sharing this spot was Tony Penn who was trying to compete with the author and sell off a variety of good quality junk! Actually a decent lot of Dublo EMU and E3002 spares sold for £200.

As we enter the main Hall, Dave White was displaying Tri-ang Dealer Servicing boxes and rare colour variations which Dave had purchased over the last year from the Des Sheppard collection. In the display were three boxes complete with unused spares and several early short coaches in a variety of colours plus a maroon Jinty and blue plastic Princess Tender from 1955, what a shame Tri-ang never produced this Princess. I also spotted a pair of Tri-ang Hornby Plinths in original boxes which I assume were for shop displays.

Alongside Chris Bush had one of the more unusual displays seen at a TCS event. Controllers and associated literature from the 1930’s -1980’s. This included several Kirdons and their predecessor Weston, over 80 were on display, however I spotted a Tri-ang RP5.5 which had a blue front and back plate and made sure our photographer Dave McCarthy took a snap of it. Chris was probably quite surprised at the interest in this later controller rather than  his earlier models.

Further along Peter Gurd had obviously moved his clocks forward and belatedly set up  his sales tables which included a good selection of literature and Minic Motorway including a Car Ferry Set and Road Rail set.

The centre of the room was for traders and included your author Bob Leggett, with his normal mix of toys and trains. A Welsotoys clockwork Train set was snapped up early on by Michael Foster and a Timpo Prairie Rocket set was also purchased by a happy customer.

Simon Goodyear also used Peter Gurd’s watch and needed assistance setting up by a very helpful Rosie Brooks who was giving her  father  Roy a hand selling his surplus items. These included a good selection of Lone Star 000 in trade packs. Simon reported good sales of Leeds trucks. Bob Jachacz was thinning out his collection and selling O gauge  and was pleased to have sold five Bassett Lowke signals.

Richard Bingham was another selling some of his collection and had several sets of LGB people and  Lionel Standard Gauge coaches at £30 each.

Peter Berry was selling and displaying. Items for sale included no less than seven Graham Farish Merchant Navy ‘Spam Cans’, including original , repainted and re-motored types. Peter’s display was a collection of Model Railway Catalogues from the 1930’s -1970’s . I spotted the Tri-ang No 1 and a Southgate Hobby Shop which included a lovely joint Beatiplan Tri-ang Rovex and Hornby Dublo leaflet.

Michael Foster despite being distracted purchasing the Welsotoys  OO gauge set reported good sales of his excellent ETS 0 Gauge chassis.

A nice change for the show was Malcolm Pugh’s, John Sinclair’s and James Day’s  layout. This was a ‘Modern Image’ set up with card buildings from John‘s loft layout and a variety of stock from Tri-ang E3001 to recent  Hornby ‘China’ EMU and Bachmann and Lima Railcars and Multiple Units. A very pleasing layout using Fleischmann track.

Bryan Pentland and Paul Williams were running O gauge. Bryan had a very colourful display of Marx American and other makers articulated sets  and some delightful stations. I was particularly taken with a pair of HWM station buildings at each corner.

Paul had probably one of the smallest (30’’ x 40’’) O gauge layouts ever displayed and called it La Petite  France, the back screen was adorned with tin flats by Rossignol and I loved the Signal Box. Also on display were Joyax, Rossignol  and Jep trains.

The stage was taken over completely by Lionel Standard Gauge. Adam Draycott with help from family and Richard Bingham had a fast running layout. As I was doing the report a Hiawatha in Milwaukee livery of orange , white and black was going round at pace while a coal train was busy in the middle of he layout. A triple arch ‘ Hell Gate ‘ bridge was  an impressive sight.

 As we walk through to the small hall we have the Club Display stand on the left with a variety of ‘ Continental ‘ Trains. A good selection included a Hornby Acho USA Tank repainted in Worth Valley livery, Bing Apollo, Marklin H0 Swiss Railcar , a very sweet Ingap French floor train  and several TT items.

Opposite, outgoing Chairman David Ramsey had set up a fascinating Gamages 1913 Christmas Catalogue Display and featured items that one would have found in the catalogue.

This really was a nice set up including the lovely ‘Neville Junction with the Gamages for Toys Ad

and a Bing Station which had the ad for GBN Submarine boats, obviously not seen after the war!

There was also a Carette for Bassett-Lowke ‘Orpington station with its original Gamages box. David also had Bing Locomotives with Marklin wagons which is typical of sets made up by Gamages, David was also selling a variety of surplus items.

 As we enter the small Hall Colin Toten is selling modern O gauge and had sold a Darstead Castle and several wagons. I was also very impressed with the Raylo Trains Metropolitan and Terriers. The Terriers seem great value at £299.

Alongside was a very good selection of OO Gauge trains for sale, mainly boxed , I noticed  Green and Maroon Tri-ang Switchers, as well as some excellent  Dublo and Trix.

Brian Arnold as usual flew the flag for Trix, in accordance with the theme Brian was running Trix Express stock and I was very impressed with the German Pacific 4-6-2 Loco and tender with scale coaches. A  nice black Hunt class was also running and Bryan  informed me that ‘Pytchley’ was so named as it was the nearest Hunt to where Trix Trains  was built in the UK.

Dave and  Peasant had a splendid O gauge layout and were running a superb ACE maroon ‘Dutchess of Hamilton’ with a rake of Milbro coaches and a Corgi Bassett Lowke Royal Scot when I was passing. I was as usual impressed with the scenery and particularly like the Tri-ang Minic Service Station.

Pat Hammond has a wonderful display of Railcars and Multiple Units by various makers including Hornby, Lima  and Bachmann

Paul Brookes was displaying Woodside (00 Gauge ) and Rickwood (TT Gauge) wooden station buildings including a rare Rickwood OO Gauge station. I was also amazed at the variety of Woodside footbridges made. Paul also had the rarer Clarewood card station buildings.

In addition he had the Astral Trains on show which had been mentioned in recent E-group discussion, Paul’s comments after building and renovating several models were ‘these kits were not designed to be built!’

All day refreshments including Bacon rolls early on and the famous two settings  Christmas lunch was up to is normal high standards.  100 visitors were treated to the  wonderful 3-course meal . Many thanks to the following who helped in the kitchen, Audrey Foulds, Daphne Sargent, Pav Pall, Carol Ireland, Brenda D’Arcy, Janet Tilley, Karen Clements, Ian Draycott, Adam Draycott, Simon Draycott, Paul Draycott and Marilyn Draycott

A big thank you to Paul Draycott, members of his family and the church for such a great show and a donation of £250 to the TCS

 Bob Leggett

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