Seeking information: I went to a train auction and this followed me home

Very nice Eric! Can't help on the identification, but this looks to be a piece with some history.

George

Oh, that is super SWEET!!!! Love it!

Paging ARNE. NICE find at any rate.

Here's the engine as illustrated in the 1912 Bing catalog

 It is listed as Gauge 1.  What doesn't match is the engine number nor the tender lettering.  The 1 gauge engine on the next page of the 1912 catalog does have 3410 but it doesn't look anything like your engine. Both this engine and the one with 3410 have the same notations concerning correct painting, lettering and lining.

Robert,

Thank you for the information! Disturbing that the cab numbers are not a match and no road name on the tender. It is hard to believe that someone would invest the time and money to restore this and make such an obvious mistake. Barring further information, this will remain a mystery, but I like it nonetheless.

Thanks to all for your kind comments!

Eric

TCA, LCCA, Ives Train Society 

The 3410 number appeared on some locomotives of the "Bing for Bassett-Lowke" brand. Maybe it's related.

A VERY NICE engine regardless of its origin and lettering/numbering conundrum!

Tinplate Art posted:

Paging ARNE. NICE find at any rate.

@Arne should get his attention... 

RSB came through first. The knowledge on this Forum is impressive!

Very nice model Eric. As you explain it's a Bing made for the British market and bearing the 1924 logo on it's front. It seems to be, for me, all original and a generic model for Great Britain. With such a nice condition piece I would not fire it, too many damages could be done to the paint, you are right.

I will try to search later for the exact reference of that beauty.

Congratulations,   Daniel.

A fantastic find! Apart from a lack of company lettering, the livery is Great Western Railway, so I would agree strongly with Daniel about it being a generic version for the UK market. I know that Bing trademark is post WW1, but if anyone could pin down the date, I'd love to know. I know it was used on the earliest Bing table railway items from 1922, and I've also read elsewhere that it was introduced circa 1919, but sometimes a little mystery is all part of the allure of train collecting.

Mark

FRENCHTRAINS posted:

Very nice model Eric. As you explain it's a Bing made for the British market and bearing the 1924 logo on it's front. It seems to be, for me, all original and a generic model for Great Britain. With such a nice condition piece I would not fire it, too many damages could be done to the paint, you are right.

I will try to search later for the exact reference of that beauty.

Congratulations,   Daniel.

Daniel,

I agree almost completely; I think however toy and model trains were made to run, so I would certainly fire/run it if it was mine.

Regards

Fred

sncf231e posted:

Daniel,

I agree almost completely; I think however toy and model trains were made to run, so I would certainly fire/run it if it was mine.

Regards

Fred

Fred,

I agree with you, it would be nice to run such a gorgeous model on your layout but.... I would consider all damages that may happen to the paint and varnish on a piece which is near a hundred years old... you know well live steam engines so.... it is not an easy choice to do....

Collectors life is not easy and there is some hard choice to do sometime....

All my best wishes,  Daniel

FRENCHTRAINS posted:

sncf231e posted:

Daniel,

I agree almost completely; I think however toy and model trains were made to run, so I would certainly fire/run it if it was mine.

Regards

Fred

Fred,

I agree with you, it would be nice to run such a gorgeous model on your layout but.... I would consider all damages that may happen to the paint and varnish on a piece which is near a hundred years old... you know well live steam engines so.... it is not an easy choice to do....

Collectors life is not easy and there is some hard choice to do sometime....

All my best wishes,  Daniel

I agree with the concept that toy trains are meant to be run, but this is more than just a toy train. It is a historical artifact. If indeed it is original and has never been run, then I would vote (if I had a vote) to not run it for the preservation of history. I don't have a vote, so it really ends up being Eric's decision. Either way, it is providing the enjoyment that it was intended for.

Oh, and I do love watching videos of Fred running his live steam beauties on his garden layout. 

George

FRED has a great multi-gauge outdoor layout, and whether he is running clockwork, electric or live steam, it is ALWAYS entertaining!

Eric,

  Very nice locomotive. Good luck whatever you decide to do with it. 

  In the description above it mentions a "finely japanned brass boiler." I had never noticed anything like that if Robert or anyone else can explain. Intricate detail???

Tom 

Apparently, it has to do with the quality of the paint finish.

Tom 

Tom, It is lackered paint as old japanese furniture who have  varnish in the paint and after another (in fact several) coat of varnish to geave a smooth finish.

Daniel

Thanks Daniel.

Tom