cmatthewbacon Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 (edited) I'm staying with my uncle while working away from home, and when I arrived this week, he said that his next door neighbours had been clearing out their garage, and found a few boxes of model railway stuff that had ended up in THEIR garage 20 years ago when the wife's dad died. My uncle's a model railway buff, so they thought he might make use of it. Well it was the wrong scale, so he kept a few of the nicer vintage Hornby wagons, still cast in metal, but the rest wasn't much good. However... among the boxes was just one kit, which he thought I might be interested in. And I was... All the bags are still sealed, apart from the yellow tree (if it had a bag in the first place), but all the yellow parts are present and correct. Everything looks crisp and without flash, and even the decals look good. There's an "issue number" on the instructions, which is "1/77", so I think it's one of the first releases of the kit in this country. I've always like the look of this kit, and the models built from it, but it's a bit of a "wild card" for me, and I've never seen an affordable one. But now I have one, and it's going to get built. I managed to get the December 1978 issue of Scale Models, which features the kit on the cover and a full build article/review, for the princely sum of £3 on eBay, so I think I'm good to go... best, M. Edited January 5, 2019 by cmatthewbacon 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spruecutter96 Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 That looks like a cracking kit, my friend. I'm sure it will build up into a very impressive representation of the real thing. Happy New Year. Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 Very nice find, I think one trader at SMW was asking something like £130 for one of these Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Puff Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 Jeez, Louise! I bought one of these at Stoneleigh in 1982, along with the road roller that was released at the same time, and they've languished in the stash ever since. My intention was (and still is) to build the Showman's Engine as a ploughing engine and the roller as one used by a Sydney council back in the day. So not everything in the stash is depreciating! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rs2man Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 Matt , you're a lucky sod !!! What a great find . I've wanted one ever since I read Ted Taylor's article in the Scale Models you mentioned . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 I recall that kit I use d to work in a shop that had one in stock back in mid 1970s so the 77 could be the year it was produced if memory serves. At the time it was quite expensive around £25.00 or thereabouts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan R Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 I have this one in my stash. From around that time, if I recall. I did have the Scale Models issue mentioned. One day, I'll build it ... Cheers, Alan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherry268 Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 I have one as well, minus the decals as the previous owner took them out and stored them in books and forgot where he put it I didn't find out until I'd bought it. It was in the early days of then appearing on Ebay so was reluctant to try and return it Luckily I found somebody who scanned the sheet so have something to work from regarding replacing them I have the steam roller as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Puff Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 7 hours ago, cherry268 said: I have one as well, minus the decals as the previous owner took them out and stored them in books and forgot where he put it I didn't find out until I'd bought it. It was in the early days of then appearing on Ebay so was reluctant to try and return it Luckily I found somebody who scanned the sheet so have something to work from regarding replacing them I have the steam roller as well You're welcome to the set in my kit if you want them, because I on't be using them. Can't guarantee how well they will work, given their age (although they've been in the box since I got them). PM me an address if you do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 Great find! I remember that Scale Models article too. Looking forward to the build. Trevor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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