Dobwalls Adventure Park Railroads Auction

UNIQUE AUCTION OF MINIATURE STEAM AND DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES SET TO ATTRACT GLOBAL INTEREST

 

The most unique collection of passenger carrying miniature steam and diesel locomotives anywhere in the World is to be auctioned in Cornwall.

 

The collection, widely regarded as the premier collection of 7 and a 1/4” locomotives - exact replicas of original locomotives built by the Union Pacific and Rio Grande railroad companies – will be sold by sealed bid auction at the end of November.

 

Over the past 35 years, the collection of eight locomotives have run along two, mile long tracks at Dobwalls Adventure Park, near Liskeard in Cornwall, carrying almost 7 million passengers between them.

 

Now the replica locomotives – four steam and four diesel – will be making tracks for a new life after the decision to auction them was made as a result of Dobwalls Adventure Park – which was one of Cornwall’s most popular tourist destinations for over three decades – being redeveloped.

 

The locomotives were built from the original drawings for the full size locomotives, which were then scaled down exactingly, with every part reproduced in perfect detail. Since then the locomotives have been lovingly maintained by the Southern family who created Dobwalls Adventure Park and ran it between 1970 and 2006.

 

The Locomotives that make up the collection include:

 

William Jeffers (Big Boy 4008) - The only working passenger carrying model remaining anywhere in the world of what were the world’s largest and most powerful steam locomotives ever built.

 

Queen of Wyoming (Northern FEF-1) - A stunning model of one of the most successful classes of steam locomotives ever built, affectionately known as the mighty 800’s.

 

Queen of Nebraska (Northern FEF-3) - just like the original prototype FEF-3s, the Queen of Nebraska is fitted with twin blastpipes and chimney and smoke deflectors like the originals.

 

Otto Mears – A highly popular K37 class steam locomotive named after General Palmer’s (the builder of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad) chief engineer and surveyor.

 

Mathias Baldwin - an extremely fine model of the highly abundant, successful and eye-catching General Purpose Class diesels built by EMD (Electro-Motive Division of General Motors Ltd).

 

Spirit of America - This is a replica of the Class E8 twin unit passenger diesel, many hundreds of which were built by the EMD for numerous US lines in the 1950s.

 

Pioneer - the Pioneer locomotive represents the EMD 45 ‘Cowl’ diesel, built originally for passenger service on the famous Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.

 

 Centennial (Class DD 40-X) - a truly unique working model of the World’s largest and most powerful diesel locomotive.

 

According to owner Malcolm Southern, enquiries about the collection have already started as rumours of a possible sale spread through the rail enthusiast community.

 

“The decision to auction the collection is one that is mixed with both sadness and excitement for us. The locomotives have been a central part of our family for the past 35 years with three generations working on them.

 

“When you consider that they have pulled almost 7 million passengers and  in some cases are the only remaining working examples of the original trains built by the Union Pacific and Rio Grande railroad companies left on the planet, it puts into perspective just what a unique collection this is.

 

“As far as we are aware there has never been an auction of this kind – both in terms of size and uniqueness of the material - anywhere in the world so we are expecting a great deal of international and UK interest.

 

“With the redevelopment of what was Dobwalls Adventure Park, creating a multi-million pound international arts centre and 15 beautiful and contemporary holiday homes, the reality is that the collection would lie dormant and slowly mothball, which we absolutely do not want to happen – hence the decision to hold the auction.

 

“It is a fully working collection and is capable of bringing great enjoyment. We want to see the trains go to good homes, so that generations to come are able to experience what are pieces of working history,” said Malcolm.

 

“We have already received enquiries and interest both in the UK and the USA and believe that the auction of locomotives will attract a great deal of international interest.

 

“In an ideal world, they would be sold as a collection but we have to be realistic and as a result, each locomotive is available as a separate item,” he added. 

 

Mike Lamb of Severn Lamb, whose company made many of the locomotives believes such a collection will never be seen again.

 

“In our opinion it is highly likely that a collection of this kind will never be built again, let alone come onto the market so this auction really is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” said Mr Lamb.

 

Full details on each of the trains that make up the auction and their reserve prices can be seen at www.locomotiveauction.com. Details are also available by request on info@dobwalls.com or 01579 320325

 

Sealed bids must be made by November 30 (23.59 GMT).