Micromodels.
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Your Workshop all in a Cigar Box.
And all prices include the dreaded "Purchase Tax" ………….;-)Given that my "pre college" agricultural student's wage around that time was only £3/10 (£3.50p) for a 6 day week, they weren't exactly a give-away.
'Petermac
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The Micromodels story…
Another kit released in 1949 was Set M4. Here we had an LMS 4-6-2 Experimental Turbine Locomotive and a SR Schools class 4-4-0. The kit is fairly scarce today.
Another kit released in 1949 was Set M4. Here we had an LMS 4-6-2 Experimental Turbine Locomotive and a SR Schools class 4-4-0. The kit is fairly scarce today.
Set PG1 was also released consisting of an LBSCR 4-4-2 Atlantic class in brown, an LBSCR 0-4-2 'Gladstone' and an LNWR 2-2-2 Single 'Princess Royal' in black. The original kit sold for 1/8d. The example shown here is a reprint from 1952 costing 2/6d (12.5 new pence). Three locos for Half-a-Crown. Can't grumble at that! Fairly common kit today.
Here is Card One of this set showing the general arrangement for 'Gladstone' with parts for the underframe and cab. The drawing shows how some of the finer details were arrived at. The remaining parts are on Card Two.
1949 also saw the release of Set PG2. Here we had a Midland Railway 4-2-2 Single 'Princess of Wales', a GWR Atlantic class 4-4-2 of 1905 and the famous GWR 4-4-0 'City of Truro'. Another fairly common kit today.
More to follow…
Terry
Last edit: by col.stephens
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The Micromodels story…
1949 was a busy year for Geoffrey Heighway at Micromodels Ltd. The kits continued to roll out of 6 Racquet Court. Set PG3 also emerged, containing another three locomotives. This time for your 1/8d you received an LNWR 4-6-0 'Sir Gilbert Claughton' in black, a GER 4-4-0 'Claud Hamilton' in blue livery and a GER 2-4-0 of 1888 in blue livery. Here is a 1952 reprint…
1949 was a busy year for Geoffrey Heighway at Micromodels Ltd. The kits continued to roll out of 6 Racquet Court. Set PG3 also emerged, containing another three locomotives. This time for your 1/8d you received an LNWR 4-6-0 'Sir Gilbert Claughton' in black, a GER 4-4-0 'Claud Hamilton' in blue livery and a GER 2-4-0 of 1888 in blue livery. Here is a 1952 reprint…
The GER 2-4-0 of 1888 was another model that I manage to build. This is built from a scan of the original kit so its finish is not as rich as that in the kit . I remember using the tip of a small paintbrush for the dome. Here she is in all her glory…
1949 saw another departure from locomotive models in that Geoffrey Heighway produced some railway buildings. The first, Set LS1, featured eight cards depicting a country station, a bridge, signal-box, signals and platforms. This is a 1954 reprint and is the most common surviving micromodel.
Unfortunately, Set LS2 has escaped me so far but contained a locomotive shed, a water tower and a goods shed and is a very attractive kit.
Set LS3 was actually issued in 1950, but I'll deal with it here for clarity. This set featured a terminal station building and was the largest railway model in the Micromodel series at 14 cards. It depicted the façade only and sold for 3/4d. A very rare model.
To be continued…
Terry
Set LS3 was actually issued in 1950, but I'll deal with it here for clarity. This set featured a terminal station building and was the largest railway model in the Micromodel series at 14 cards. It depicted the façade only and sold for 3/4d. A very rare model.
To be continued…
Terry
Last edit: by col.stephens
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Following along.
Marty
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The Micromodels story…
Into 1950 and a lean year for Micromodels with a railway theme. Geoffrey Heighway began to release his architectural themed Micromodels, of which more later. Set LS3, the Terminal Station was released, as mentioned above.
Set PG4 appears to be the only other railway themed Micromodel released in this year. Once again 1/8d secured you three locomotives. These were a Caledonian Railway 4-4-0 'Dunalastair', an LNWR 4-4-0 'Precursor' in black and a GER 4-4-2 single No.10 in blue. This is a very rare set thus I am unable to show a picture taken by myself.
1951 saw more railway themed Micromodels appearing. Set PG5 differed from the previous PG sets in that it was printed in black and white for 'hand painting'. Instead of full colour drawings of the locomotives on the front of the wrapper, a more ulitarian design was adopted with a black loco drawn against a yellow background with the enclosed locomotives listed in a white box, Not an attractive design. The locomotives contained in this set were GWR 2-2-2 single 'Queen', GWR 4-2-2 single 'Behemoth' and LNWR 2-4-0 'Hardwicke'.
Into 1950 and a lean year for Micromodels with a railway theme. Geoffrey Heighway began to release his architectural themed Micromodels, of which more later. Set LS3, the Terminal Station was released, as mentioned above.
Set PG4 appears to be the only other railway themed Micromodel released in this year. Once again 1/8d secured you three locomotives. These were a Caledonian Railway 4-4-0 'Dunalastair', an LNWR 4-4-0 'Precursor' in black and a GER 4-4-2 single No.10 in blue. This is a very rare set thus I am unable to show a picture taken by myself.
1951 saw more railway themed Micromodels appearing. Set PG5 differed from the previous PG sets in that it was printed in black and white for 'hand painting'. Instead of full colour drawings of the locomotives on the front of the wrapper, a more ulitarian design was adopted with a black loco drawn against a yellow background with the enclosed locomotives listed in a white box, Not an attractive design. The locomotives contained in this set were GWR 2-2-2 single 'Queen', GWR 4-2-2 single 'Behemoth' and LNWR 2-4-0 'Hardwicke'.
1951 would also appear to be the year in which the range of sets numbered NS1 to NS4 were issued. All of the outer sleeves resembled that of PG5 above. Boring! However, the locos in sets NS1 to NS3 are printed in colour, whist those in set NS4 are in black and white. You work that one out! Here are the contents:
NS1 - LNER 'Flying Scotsman' in green livery, LMS 0-10-0 Lickey Banking Engine, and old-time engine 2-2-2 'Budicom' in green and brown livery.
NS2 - LMS 4-6-0 'Royal Scot', LMS 2-6-0 'Horwich', an LMS 2-8-0 freight engine No.8342.
NS3 - LMS 4P 2-6-4 tank, GWR 0-6-2 tank and GWR 4-4-0 'Earl' class.
NS4 - LBSCR 0-4-2 Stroudley tank, LSWR 4-8-0 tank, BR Standard Pacific. This last loco is notable in that the tender cannot be built without modification.
Here is the Stroudley tank built from a poor coloured scan…
More soon…
Terry
Terry
Last edit: by col.stephens
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The Micromodels story…
1952 brought one railway themed Micromodel, this being Set X2, 8 Pre-Grouping coaches at a cost of 2/6d (12.5p). The covering wrapper was drawn in much the same style as Set X, previously shown, but showing different coaches. This set included six cards containing the following models: two GER 6-wheeled coaches, including a brake-third, a GWR 6-wheeled 1st/3rd composite, an LSWR bogie Restaurant Car, two LBSCR 4-wheeled coaches, an LNWR bogie composite and a Midland Railway bogie composite.
1952 brought one railway themed Micromodel, this being Set X2, 8 Pre-Grouping coaches at a cost of 2/6d (12.5p). The covering wrapper was drawn in much the same style as Set X, previously shown, but showing different coaches. This set included six cards containing the following models: two GER 6-wheeled coaches, including a brake-third, a GWR 6-wheeled 1st/3rd composite, an LSWR bogie Restaurant Car, two LBSCR 4-wheeled coaches, an LNWR bogie composite and a Midland Railway bogie composite.
Here is the card for the LSWR Restaurant Car…
Here are the LBSCR coaches built from scans…
For your delectation, here are the two coaches together with the Stroudley tank previously shown…
The GER coaches…
That concludes the Micromodels railway themed sets. Next, I would just like to mention the Modelcrat Ltd. single sheet models…
Terry
Last edit: by col.stephens
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The Micromodels story…
Whilst Geoffrey Heighway was producing his kits under the Micromodels label, his previous employer, Modelcraft Ltd., continued to produce further miniature models, but on single sheets. The range was not large and I have three in my collection. Here they are…
Whilst Geoffrey Heighway was producing his kits under the Micromodels label, his previous employer, Modelcraft Ltd., continued to produce further miniature models, but on single sheets. The range was not large and I have three in my collection. Here they are…
That concludes the railway models but this is not the end of the Micromodel story.
Where shall we go to next?
Terry
Last edit: by col.stephens
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'Petermac
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The Micromodels story…
Firstly, some additions to the list which I seem to have omitted.
1949 -Set BD. This set made up into a breakdown crane and support wagons, together with a well-wagon and crew coach. Price 1/8d.
Firstly, some additions to the list which I seem to have omitted.
1949 -Set BD. This set made up into a breakdown crane and support wagons, together with a well-wagon and crew coach. Price 1/8d.
1951 - Set F2. This set seeks to compare an early example of an American wood-burner locomotive with a modern (being 1951) streamlined diesel locomotive. The set contains 'Wm Crooks' 4-4-0 of 1861 and a passenger coach, plus a Santa Fe Freight Locomotive and car. First issued at 2s 0d for 'hand-colouring'. Here is the reprint from 1953 at 2/6d, which had pre-coloured cards.
1953 - Set PG8. Price 2/6d. Contained LSWR Drummond 4-6-0, LNWR 'Greater Britain' and GNR Ivatt Atlantic. Quite a common set.
1955 - Set PG7. For 3/0d you once again got three locomotives, GWR 'The Great Bear', GWR 4-4-0 'Duke' class and a Midland Railway 4-4-0 Compound. Here it is…
Terry
Last edit: by col.stephens
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Terry
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D
'You may share the labours of the great, but you will not share the spoil…' Aesop's Fables
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy" - Benjamin Franklin
In the land of the slap-dash and implausible, mediocrity is king
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy" - Benjamin Franklin
In the land of the slap-dash and implausible, mediocrity is king
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Marty
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S
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As regards Peter's query about what happened to Geoffrey Heighway and his company. Sadly, Mr.Heighway died in 1956. He sold Micromodels Ltd. just before his death and the new owner released the last packet Micromodel the following year. The company then passed through various hands, some of whom re-issued some models in various guises, but basically nothing new emerged. The printing plates for many of the models, but not all, are now owned by Autocraft Ltd., but more of them later.
Terry
Last edit: by col.stephens
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I saw on one model kit that the cab handrail was to be improvised from a bristle.
I wonder how many children these days would know what a bristle is!
Marty
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Regards
Alan
Born beside the mighty GWR.
Alan
Born beside the mighty GWR.
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To me the model craft set represented much better value for money. 1/3d for an engine, 3 coaches, a truck and a wayside station and track. Fabulous stuff.
I saw on one model kit that the cab handrail was to be improvised from a bristle.
I wonder how many children these days would know what a bristle is!
Marty
When I built the Modelcraft Spitfire, I used part of a cat's whisker to represent the aerial just behind the cockpit. Picture to follow later in this thread.
Terry
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The Micromodels story… continues with ships and boats.
Set S1- Six Little Ships & Galleons. First released in 1948 at 1/8d. This charming set contains six cards each with a ship printed thereon and is actually a reprint of an earlier set produced by Modelcraft Ltd., called 'The Romance of Sail'. The two sets differ in that the original Modelcraft set was varnished and had a description of the vessel printed on the back of each card. Here is a Micromodels Ltd. reprint from 1955…
Set S1- Six Little Ships & Galleons. First released in 1948 at 1/8d. This charming set contains six cards each with a ship printed thereon and is actually a reprint of an earlier set produced by Modelcraft Ltd., called 'The Romance of Sail'. The two sets differ in that the original Modelcraft set was varnished and had a description of the vessel printed on the back of each card. Here is a Micromodels Ltd. reprint from 1955…
Here is the 'Ark Royal' for your delight…
And here is the original Modelcraft Ltd. set for comparison…
This is one of the varnished cards from the Modelcraft set, the Mayflower…
and the rear of the same card…
It's Christmas Day and the wife is out of bed. Time to open the presents. Merry Christmas to you all.
More soon…
Terry
Last edit: by col.stephens
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Thankyou for all this, that's the model I remember, part of a primary school 'project', do kids do those today?
They must have been around still in about1958?
'You may share the labours of the great, but you will not share the spoil…' Aesop's Fables
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy" - Benjamin Franklin
In the land of the slap-dash and implausible, mediocrity is king
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy" - Benjamin Franklin
In the land of the slap-dash and implausible, mediocrity is king
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Thanks again
Ian
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