A selection of photos that originally appeared in some early editions of the Train Collector magazine, of some relatively early toy trains

Early Märklin for the British Market

Here is a selection of Märklin gauge 0 and gauge 1 locomotive models produced for the British market. . At the time they were marketed electric systems were quite rare and most models had a clockwork mechanism and some were live steam.

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  Gauge 0 MR clockwork 0-4-0 No.281

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  0-4-0 clockwork green LSWR

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  Gauge 0 clockwork LNER 0-6-0T

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  Gauge 0 clockwork LNER Atlantic CE1020

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  Gauge 0 electric LMS 4-4-0 E1020

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  Gauge 1 clockwork 4-4-2T Precursor No.44

Hornby 0 Gauge in the Red

Hornby were quick to adopt the new liveries after the 1923 ‘Grouping’ of the railways in Britain. Indeed, the earliest use of the new LMS livery by Meccano Ltd for their Hornby locomotives was the same year as the change – 1923. Judging by the number of LMS models that have survived, when compared with the other liveries, the red was a popular colour.

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  No.2 4-4-0 No.2711

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  No.3 4-4-2 No.6100 Royal Scot

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  No.2 Special 4-4-0 Compound No.1185

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  No.2 Special 4-4-2T No.6954

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  No.501 Postwar 0-4-0T No.5600

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  No.1 0-4-0T No.2115

Early Toy Trains

Here we have a selection of early toys and models of trains from overseas and in various gauges.

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  Unknown make large gauge 2.75 0-2-2 Dribbler style live steam

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  Schoenner S gauge loco and coach

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  Charles Rossignol 0 gauge Etat CR700

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  Jep 0 SNCF 2-4-0 streamlined repainted locomotive

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  Edobaud gauge 0 3rd class coach

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  Miscellaneous US cast iron coaches

Exley GWR Coaches

Here we have six 0 gauge Exley coaches all of which carry Great Western Railway chocolate and cream livery.  The company was founded in Bradford by Edward Exley in 1923 and initially made 0 gauge coaches, but extended into 00 gauge in the late 1930s. The company also made a small number of locomotives, mainly to order but this part of the business was sold in the late 1950s.  Following a major fire at the factory in 1962 Edward Exley retired.

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  Suburban composite

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  Brake Corridor Composite

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  Full brake

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  Centenary Corridor Queen

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  1st-3rd Restaurant Car 4721

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  Ocean Mails

This page is also available as a PDF article TCS Archive - Earlier Trains from Earlier Train Collectors