Highly anticipated Harborough auction for rare locomotives far surpasses expectations as railway enthusiasts bidded from far and wide

A Harborough auction house achieved sales that far surpassed forecast results at a highly anticipated Live Steam sale this month (August).

The collection from the estate of Leicester-based Kenneth ‘Mike’ Abbott, which was auctioned by Gildings in Market Harborough, resulted in 100 per cent of 229 lots sold, with only seven lots selling below estimate.

The final sale total was £132,000 against a pre-sale bottom estimate of £70,000.

The proceeds of the sale will benefit the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway in mid Wales.

Railway enthusiasts competed online, on the phone and through absentee bidding to secure coveted pre-build and kit-build locomotives made by leading model train companies such as Accucraft, Roundhouse, Finescale Engineering Co., Bachmann, Aster, Hornby and many others.

“We are thrilled with the success of this sale, not least because the proceeds will benefit a much-loved light railway that relies on public support and has faced increased financial challenges due to its closure during the pandemic,” says Andrew Smith, Gildings’ in-house railway expert.

“It is rare for a collection of this size and scope to come up at auction, so although we knew there was a lot of interest in the sale, even we were surprised by the high levels of bidding we saw on the day.”

Although results were high across the board, standout results included a live steam 45mm gauge locomotive by Roundhouse, Vale of Rheidol 'Owain Glyndwr' 2-6-2 tank which sold for £2,800 plus premiums, nine times over its estimate of £300-£500.

Garden-scale locomotives were in strong demand with a scale replica of the Metropolitan line locomotive, named ‘Sherlock Holmes’ selling for £3,600 plus charges, two and a half times estimate; and a Maxitrak live steam 3 inch scale Aveling & Porter road roller selling for £5,500 plus charges, just over the top estimate of £5,000.

“These high sale prices are a testament both to the value of Mike Abbott’s extensive and lovingly-preserved collection, and the lengths serious collectors will go to in order to own these covetable items,” added Mr Smith.

“It is gratifying to know that not only will the money raised benefit the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway in line with Mike’s wishes, but the items in his collection will now begin a new lease of life with new owners who will appreciate and care for them as he did.”