Skip to main content

Circus Craft Kits were produced by Frank Crumrine in LaMesa & San Diego Ca from 1968 to the late 1990s when I belive Frank Crumrine passed away. I do not know if anyone took it over after that.
The kits are wood , circus wagons ,Warren flat car , elephant car and stock car. They where in O ,G & HO size. The kits come up on ebay , HO seems to be the most common.

Years ago I acquired a bunch of circus craft kits in O & G. The G works with standard gauge. Occasionally when it rains in So Calif, I put one together. I haven't made much progress , but I have put a few together. They go together easy with good instructions ,I like Northeastern Flamingo glue for wood kits.

Most recently I built the 70' Warren flat car. The kit does not come with trucks. I used Lionel O gauge trucks.20161229_1152201Kimg0672Kimg0673Kimg0675Kimg0679Kimg0682

Attachments

Images (6)
  • 20161229_1152201
  • Kimg0672
  • Kimg0673
  • Kimg0675
  • Kimg0679
  • Kimg0682
Last edited by bigolddogs
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Update on circus train. Found some Wardie-Jay circus kits at our local train club meet (AGTTA).
These kits are older than the Circus Craft Kits, the instruction sheets are dated July 6, 1945. The instructions are limited consisting of diagrams and a photo.The kits have more cast metal parts. some of the wagons have metal spoke wheels and some have rubber tires.The kits fit together well. Photos of some of the finished kits.desktop 002desktop 003desktop 004desktop 006desktop 007desktop 008

Attachments

Images (6)
  • desktop 002
  • desktop 003
  • desktop 004
  • desktop 006
  • desktop 007
  • desktop 008

What happened to the circus craft figure moulds , anyone making them now? as I bought 2 bags of 100 unpainted & they were just the right size for the MTH coaches & just right period 1950's.

James

I know this question was asked quite a while ago, but I was told by a reliable source that the molds are pretty much worn out to the point of being useless.

When I can find them, I pick up packs and bags of their seated children figures.  I intend to paint them in bright pajama schemes and use them to populate my scale Polar Express coaches.

Circus Craft did make some great stuff.

Andy

Good News, bad New, Ringling will be back starting September 2023, completely new style of show (no animals, one ring?, no train, even new logo).

The man that produced Wardie-jay kits is still in business and is at York, used to set up at at the TCA Museum Open House during York week and says he has no interest in doing the Circus kits) is into lighting kits for trains now, if I remember correctly.

Would like some Circus people also, maybe some Circus modelers can chime in with the info.



Redball342   

Hot outside , so built another Wardie Jay circus train kit with the help of my wife who attended to the fine detail painting , This kit was the Band Wagon. The kit was old ? 1940s or 1950s ? I have had good luck with old decals before , but this time the decals fell apart in water. Fortunately , I scanned them before use , So printed them out with a color printer. The wagon is finished and ready to add to the circus train,
And it is still hot outside!

20230731_12532420230731_12533120230720_08410120230720_084135

Attachments

Images (4)
  • 20230731_125324
  • 20230731_125331
  • 20230720_084101
  • 20230720_084135

Wardie Jay and Circus Craft are both out of business . Circus Craft went out of business by the end of 1990s ,might have sold their stock out to some one else.  They had a large barn/garage in La Mesa ,Ca full of lumber where they put the kits together.

The Wardie Jay kits I have are from 1940s/1950s ,they have been out of business for a long time.

Anybody with more info , Please post, history of these companies would be interesting,

@bigolddogs posted:

Hot outside , so built another Wardie Jay circus train kit with the help of my wife who attended to the fine detail painting , This kit was the Band Wagon. The kit was old ? 1940s or 1950s ? I have had good luck with old decals before , but this time the decals fell apart in water. Fortunately , I scanned them before use , So printed them out with a color printer. The wagon is finished and ready to add to the circus train,
And it is still hot outside!

20230731_12532420230731_12533120230720_08410120230720_084135

Where did the band figures come from? Were they a part of the wagon kit?

Add Reply

Post

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×