The new Sealed Bid Auction

MickT · February 20, 2021, 15:00

009 News vol48/6 March 2021 just landed at my place today, it will obviously be a while before everyone has received their own copies.

There's a 4 page spread publicising and giving bidding details for 12 extremely attractive and exclusive models that have been offered for a sealed bid auction.

There are 2 conflicting statements, one of which is clearly a typo but which one??

Page 12 - "The auction closes on 31st March 2021 at 10.00" (not stated but assumed this is either GMT or BST? - we do have members who live in different time zones!)

and:

Page 13 - "Good luck with your bids which must have been received by 10.00 on 25 Feb 2021"

I have aleady alerted Lee Bryant our Sales Officer and for the benefit particularly of overseas members who may want to bid, hope that there will be a correcting announcement soon.

Mick

The Sales Team · February 20, 2021, 15:38

Well spotted, Mick. Should be 31st March (BST).

(The confusion has arisen because the original intention was for the auction to have have been launched in last month's News, but wasn't, and the date didn't get changed in this month's.)

Apologies.

The Sales Team.

Hobby · February 20, 2021, 16:28

Just to add that all the photos are on the 009 Website and you can see much clearer what they look like than the reproductions in the News! You need to be signed in to see them, though.

https://009society.com/news/sealed-bid-auction/

Any idea what that "Prussian" 0-10-0 is based on? I don't recognise it all of anything that ran in that part of the world, but the "blind" over one of the cab side windows makes me things it's a colonial loco rather than one that ran in Germany? (Love the cobwebs on the front of it BTW!)

Hobby · February 20, 2021, 17:15

Any thoughts what it's based on Iain?

The Sales Team · February 20, 2021, 20:40

Quote from: Hobby on February 20, 2021, 16:28
Just to add that all the photos are on the 009 Website

Indeed - as it says in the article in the News.

The Sales Team.

The Sales Team · February 22, 2021, 17:04

Just to confirm - should there be any uncertainty - that all the models in the auction are 9mm gauge.

The Sales Team.

JulienW · February 22, 2021, 17:28

Just to confirm that includes the HOn3 'set' (SKU285)?

Without a photo showing the underside it's a bit difficult to know if it has been converted as it's quite a job on the loco, as I have one built and one under construction that have been narrowed from 10.5 mm gauge down to 9, along with a pair of saddle tanks that are using the same type of chassis that I've also narrowed.

JulienW · February 22, 2021, 20:01

Quote from: Iain Morrison on February 22, 2021, 18:00
Julien

SKU258 is a 9mm gauge loco, as are the coaches. This is in the text that is on the website

But not what is in 009 News, where they are stated to be HOn3 (what the Roundhouse kits are designed to run on) and that's what I was reading when I posted my question to The Sales Team asking for clarification of their statement that everything was 9mm gauge.

Edit: Also, with the bidding starting at £300 it could be an expensive mistake if one were to bid on it thinking it was one gauge only to find it is actually the other when it arrives through the post...

MickT · February 22, 2021, 21:26

The photos of this item show the stock sitting on Peco crazy track so, unless there was some disguising with blue-tac or whatever on the other side of the photo (which I very much doubt!), then I reckon they indeed are 9mm gauge and the text is in error in stating that the "set" is HOn3, and should have stated something like "HOn30 modified from a Roundhouse HOn3 kit" and something to describe the coaching stock. I think they are modified Roundhouse HO bodies and have requested clarification but am still awaiting an answer on that.

If it can be absolutely confirmed what both loco and coaches are, I would consider the bidding start price to be very fair. As it is, they are a source of confusion and it seems to be left to prospective buyers to decide whether to take a risk on unknown provenance.

Second observation: The 4-8-4T "colonial tank loco" listed as "NZ?" is a model that I am very familiar with having photographed it on its home layout several times. It is a Windle-built loco based on or inspired by the Bolivian FCAB 2-8-4T oil fired metre gauge loco. The huge cab carries the fuel oil in the roof which accounts for its large size. How would you like to stand under several hundred gallons of fuel oil whilst the loco is fighting its way up the fierce gradings on the Antofagusta Railway? It is stated as being on a Bachmann chassis. If that has been checked and confirmed then I accept, however my opinion of it has always been that it is on a Kato chassis. Can this be confirmed one way or the other please?

Mick

John Thorne · February 23, 2021, 09:09

Mick - I have checked this loco and as correctly described it is built on a Bachmann chassis

MickT · February 23, 2021, 10:07

Thanks John! It was the boxpok type wheels that confused me (along with the large quantity of locos in the stock box of the owner!!)

Very confident I'm right about what the model is based on however - Bolivian rather than New Zealand.

Mick

Hobby · February 23, 2021, 10:44

No idea what that 0-10-0 is then, Mick?!

John Thorne · February 23, 2021, 11:59

Mick - too many wheels for me - I would not dare to dispute the prototype with you

Alan Feldon · February 23, 2021, 14:55

As Far as I am aware the Rounhouse loco and rolling stock was originally converted by me to run on 9mm track
As you say Julien it required a lot of slimming down of the loco chassis I sold it some time ago to 009 sales so if it was mine you can offer bids safely .
Mind you if you had bought it a year or so ago directly from me you would have saved yourself some money !

JulienW · February 23, 2021, 16:41

Thanks for the confirmation Alan, as if the lot has been narrowed that make it more interesting to me - though whether I can justify a 3rd loading-gauge-busting 2-8-0 to the domestic authorities is another matter entirely!