7mm scale, O gauge
Steve Maddison & Peter Coulls

In the years before World War II, Bassett-Lowke was the premier manufacturer of model railways and continued after the war until the general decline in the larger scales during the 1960s spelt its end. (The subsequent revival of Gauge O and other large scales is another story).
Exhibited here are a variety of vintage Bassett-Lowke locomotives as well as a few modern replicas by Bearwood Models, Ace Trains and Darstaed. Coaching stock is mainly from Edward Exley and the freight stock is a variety of Bassett-Lowke tin-plate from the 1920s, 1930s and post-war series, plus a few modern pieces from Ace Trains and the current Bassett-Lowke range, now marketed by Hornby. The buildings are Bassett-Lowke replicas made by my good friend Joe Challingsworth, although most of the advertising signs are original vintage Bassett-Lowke. The track is genuine Bassett-Lowke in part, with a good deal built by myself using batten/sleepers made from wood supplied by Dolls Domain of Leamington, modern brass rail and vintage lead chairs (as far as I am aware, you can’t get modern sleeper chairs in lead, only white-metal which is an inferior material).