Master Models

We stumbled on the MasterModels range of OO gauge die cast model railway accessories and from our interest in collecting and learning about these items we proceeded to collect other items referred to in the B J Ward (MasterModels) catalogues

We have several collections which include MasterModels, Wardie and Wee World items and have expanded on this theme and also have collections of Gilco Road Signs, Puck rubber hedges and Anorma and Modelcraft kits (mainly model railway related buildings). 

B J Ward who was in business from the 1950’s to the mid 1960’s also did a range of wooden model railway buildings – Woodside, Rickwood and Clarewood so naturally we have included these in our collecting.   Also found in the B J Ward catalogues were a number of railway related models by the Dudley Toy Co and Hailey Models.  Whilst our Dudley collection is relatively small at less than a dozen items our Hailey models now extend to over 100 items many of which date back to the 1920’s.

As many collectors know it is difficult to maintain a grip and many of our friends and traders across the country were looking out for wooden stations on our behalf.  Little is known about many of these commercially made wooden engine sheds, stations, bridges etc..., and before you knew it we had a growing collection of makes other than those mentioned above.  These include famous names such as Bassett Lowke, Milbro and Hornby and Trix wooden railway buildings to the less well known Hugar (who is known for his Britain ’s farm and military items), Truescale, Superscale, Givjoy, MoreFun, Addington, AB and Co, Marmoss and Bradshaws.  We are trying to find information on these and other companies but after 40-80 years some of this information has been lost forever.    We would appreciate any information or pictures that you may have for these and others as we have many models we have not been able to identify yet.  We are not fussy about gauge and our models range from TT to Gauge 1.

At present we are working on booklets for Hailey Models and Hugar Models and we hope to have at least one of these finished by the end of this year. Our first booklet in 1998 was a Listing for MasterModel Collectors as when we first started collecting these we didn’t know what should be in the sets or even how big the range was. We have recently produced booklets based on our collection of Gilco Road Signs and Automec lorries - there is a link between these and our MasterModels just in case you think we have lost the plot entirely.

Other oddments of model railway accessories which we don’t really have enough of to call collections are a number of S&B items from the 1950’s, Don Bowles water towers and hoardings, B & K and Larko signals, Leeds Model Co platform furniture and a miscellany of station lamposts by makers which include Cherry.  Basically if it’s a railway accessory, vintage and not the usual Hornby or Trix we will try and give it a home!

The latest publication is a booklet on Hailey Models

Here is an introduction by James Day

We train collectors usually seem to concentrate on the locos and stock rather than the other things, such as accessories and buildings, although it was always these items that held my fascination. At TCS events you can always depend upon Paul & Jennifer Brookes to put on a good display of this other stuff. They had a wonderful display of Hugar at Sandy this year. Another fascination of Paul & Jennifer has been Mastermodels and I am sure that many of us will have seen the beautiful and comprehensive display that they have put on at shows such as Alresford. Some time ago Paul and Jennifer published a handy pocket guide to Mastermodels but it is their first love of wooden model buildings that has been the inspiration for their latest joint work on the products of Hailey Models. This previously untold story covers the origins and development of the company. The are fascinating links unearthed between Hailey, Hugar, Bassett Lowke and Milbro. The booklet contains 44 pages, over 100 colour photographs and cross referenced listings of products made. The price is £10 + £1 postage and package.