EAMES kits

[DavidB]

This is a long-shot, but does anyone have a list or catalogue of the 4mm kits EAMES made? I am particularly interested in their road vehicles, some of which I think were acquired from elsewhere (like the Alan Brackenborough Maudslay bus) and re-packaged.

Incidentally, for anyone interested, some of those kits are still available, listed on KW Trams website together with some Anbrico and ABS.

 

[Barry37]

This is an EAMES advert in the May 1981 Model Railway Constructor. I don't know if that's all the kits they (ever)did.
I remember putting one of their lorry kits together, but I don't recognise it in this list.

 

[Hayfield1]

Out of an old W&H book

 

[DavidB]

That's very helpful, Barry (and Hayfield, just seen). Thank you.

I bought two white metal charabancs (complete but in bits) off Ebay at the weekend which were described as Eames. I have no problem with this as it would not be an unreasonable assumption. On getting them I notice the radiators have 'Midland' across the top where other makers (Leyland, Thornycroft, Albion) put their name, so I wanted to check if they were on the Eames list. Having seen Barry's list, I wonder if they might be from W&T (Scalelink) who produce a range of Midland bus kits. The charabancs are not unlike the 1925 bus.

Does anyone out there have a white metal charabanc, made or in kit form?

 

[DavidB]

I am interested to see on Hayfield's pages, EMT/10 to 13, the Leyland lorries. These are still available from KW Trams (scroll down) where their origin is given as ABS Streetscenes.

 

[DavidB]

My thanks to people who have responded both on and off-Forum.

It looks as though the charabancs in question may well have been made by Pirate Models. What happened to them? It is a name I have heard but never knowingly seen any of their kits.

One of the charabancs I bought is below. The lorry chassis is a Leyland daring from around 1917 but with a slightly later windscreen

 

[Barry37]

That's very helpful, Barry (and Hayfield, just seen). Thank you.

I bought two white metal charabancs (complete but in bits) off Ebay at the weekend which were described as Eames. I have no problem with this as it would not be an unreasonable assumption. On getting them I notice the radiators have 'Midland' across the top where other makers (Leyland, Thornycroft, Albion) put their name, so I wanted to check if they were on the Eames list. Having seen Barry's list, I wonder if they might be from W&T (Scalelink) who produce a range of Midland bus kits. The charabancs are not unlike the 1925 bus.

Does anyone out there have a white metal charabanc, made or in kit form?

 

[Barry37]

Interesting to see the W & T page, as it identifies a whitemetal bus kit that I have. Seems to be kit WTP02 or WTP09 - I've had it for over 20 years, and no idea why or where it was acquired.

 

[DavidB]

The history of kit manufacturers is quite fascinating - where things began, who sold what to wherever, who acquired this range and so on. Adrian Swain was a prolific acquirer of ranges, some of which never saw the light of day until he died and now other people have got them, some coming back on the market. I remember a few years ago listening to Iain Rice over afternoon tea talking about the journeys various kit ranges had taken. He was a mine of information.

 

[Barry37]

The history of kit manufacturers is quite fascinating - where things began, who sold what to wherever, who acquired this range and so on. Adrian Swain was a prolific acquirer of ranges, some of which never saw the light of day until he died and now other people have got them, some coming back on the market. I remember a few years ago listening to Iain Rice over afternoon tea talking about the journeys various kit ranges had taken. He was a mine of information.

One, possibly more, of the ranges Adrian acquired, was a case of "they owed me so much (for casting), they gave me the company".

 

[AJC]

One, possibly more, of the ranges Adrian acquired, was a case of "they owed me so much (for casting), they gave me the company".

I heard Adrian say that, too - I can't recall which (and it's probably politic not to), but he did cast for a lot of people, over the years, that's true.

Adam

 

[Mike W]

There is quite a nice little history of some, mainly 7mm, manufacturers here Miller Swan & Bernard Miller but not kit manufacturers. I guess some should be recorded before they slip even further into distant memory.

Mike