RAILWAYANA: Jubilee muscles in on GWR and LNER pricefest

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Like a lower league contender determined to mix it with higher level competition, an LMS Jubilee nameplate challenged the GWR and LNER at Great Central’s September 2 sale at Stoneleigh Park, and emerged not only with credit, but with the latter trailing in its wake.

The gold medal for a £13,900 realisation went to Lydford Castle, carried firstly by No. 5079 from new in May 1939 until November 1940, when it was replaced by Lysander, and subsequently by No. 7006 from June 1946 until withdrawal December 1963.

Lurking in the wings was Happy Knight from LNER A2 No. 60533, but the Pacific was in for a shock if it reckoned the silver medal was in the bag, for while its price of £12,200 was far from shabby, British Honduras from a rather more modest express locomotive, Jubilee No. 45602, had other ideas and stormed past at £13,200, almost doubling its lower estimate. Will the Jubilee bubble never burst?

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The GWR also made the next two slots, thanks to Overton Grange from No. 6879 and County of Cardigan (No. 1008), each of which went for £8800, a few bob ahead of Sir Harry le Fise Lake (SR King Arthur No. 30803 – £8600).

Charles Dickens (Standard Britannia No. 70033) fetched £8000, Galteemore from Great Northern Railway (Ireland) Class S 4-4-0 No. 173 sold for £6600, Downton Hall from GWR No. 4994 for £6100, and finally at £5000 apiece, came Galopin (LNER A3 No. 60076) and Trematon Hall (GWR No. 5949).

The cabside and smokebox numberplates from No. 4994 also went under the hammer, selling for £1550 and £700 respectively.

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