The Unofficial Mamod and Other Steam Forum

mogogear · Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 9:22 pm Post subject:

Lost of nice wheels Mr. Manx!!
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Lagniappe readily offered and accepted,

Mo

This week I are His Most Noble Lord Mo, the Apocalyptic of Old Tonbridge Wafers

Manxman · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 8:03 am Post subject:

9) Well after a good nights rest, it's time to set out again on my travels. I'm going to spend my morning in Germany and where else should I visit first than Nuremberg and probably the biggest company in toy steam history. Gebruder Bing's company was started in the 1860's and was making toy steam engines by the 1890's. The company survived WW1 and then expanded to include a more global market. Unfortunately, the Credit Crunch (in America) of the 1920's, caused the firm lasting damage and in 1932, Bing ceased making toy steam engines.

Here's a nice little Bing Traction Engine. Most of the Bing range were simple cheap models and this is a lovely example of an 80 year old toy steam mobile.

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Manx, the mobile man

Manxman · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 8:16 am Post subject:

10) What a toy steam history Nuremberg has. A few years after Bing, Peter Doll also founded his company in Nuremberg (about 1898). He made a quite a large range of mobiles, including a car, a lorry, traction engines and 3 different steam rollers.

Unfortunately, a change in German trading laws in 1935 stopped Doll from exporting goods (because he was Jewish) and anti-Jewish feeling in Germany stopped his goods selling at home. In about 1937/8 Fleischmann took over much of the company but didn't actually buy the firm until after WW2 and the realisation that most of Peter Doll's family had not survived.

This Steam Roller is rather nice and was made up until about 1935. The two other Doll Rollers from the same period made it into the Fleischmann catalogue.

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Manx, the mobile man

Manxman · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 8:25 am Post subject:

11) It seems right to stay in Nuremberg and pick up again with Fleischmann. This is another old company and goes back to 1877. They didn't really have a lot to do with toy steam (took over a tiny firm called of George Staudt in 1928) until they started to help out Peter Doll in about 1937 or 1938.

After WW2, Nuremberg was in the American Zone and trading agreements with America led to Fleischmann buying out Doll and making some of their old engines. 2 mobiles were moved into the Fleischmann range and were made until 1955. Nearly all of these seem to have been made for the American market and I believe it remains much easier to get a decent Fleischmann Roller from USA eBay than German eBay.

Here's my little Fleischmann Roller.

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Manx, the mobile man

Manxman · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 8:31 am Post subject:

12) And what about now. Well toy steam is still going strong in Nuremberg. In 1977 the toy firm of Tucher and Walther was established in Nuremberg. They started making their own toy steam pieces in 1979 and each year add a few more models to their range. All of the models are made in limited numbers and keep alive the traditions of what may be seen as the centre of the toy steam world.

This is my Tucher and Walther mobile. It's a Moterbike made in 2007 and I like to think a nice bit of fun.

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Manx, the mobile man

Manxman · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 8:46 am Post subject:

13) Now while in Germany, there are many other toy steam places to visit. Of the big three, Marklin (Bing and Carette the other two) was (and is) based in Wurttemberg. The firm was established in about 1859 and is still going strong but not making toy steam engines any more.

I have a couple of Marklin mobiles and I really like this example from the 1920's. The build quality is good and it is still all original. Hope you like it.

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Manx, the mobile man

Manxman · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 8:54 am Post subject:

14) And so moving right up to date and the company of Mr Lutz Hielscher (or sometimes called ministeam) based in Wuppertal, Germany . This toy steam firm has a mixed beginning dating back to 1972 when Lutz visited England and purchased an old toy steam engine. He knew he could make a good copy and set about establishing a small buisness. Nothing much happened until 1885 when Lutz sold his main buisness, Metafot, which gave him some money. In 1994 the whole toy steam buisness took off and the Lutz Hielscher firm really got going making a whole range of ministeam engines, a Stanley Steam car and loads more.

This is my example from his range. Very small, loads of fun and a good talking piece. But to be honest, not very strong, not best made, and quite expensive).

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Manx, the mobile man

Manxman · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 9:02 am Post subject:

15) My final stop off point this morning in Germany has to be in Lüdenscheid. The home of Wilesco. They have been making mobile steam toys since 1966 (Old Smokey but toy steam goes back to the 1950's) and Wilesco currently have 5 different mobiles in their range.

We all know this firm so well and I'll put this Traction Engine up as my example of their range just because I like it and it's the most recent Wilesco mobile I've gained.

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Manx, the mobile man

Manxman · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 9:05 am Post subject:

I'm going to leave Germany now. I feel a bit of a cheat. Their are so many places I've not visited (Falk, Carette, Plank etc). I've got examples of at least 7 different German mobiles (plus a possible Carette lorry I've not included) but I figure that's only about half of the possible number I could collect.

Each year we do a wish list on the forum and I think my wish list for 2009 will have to include a few more German mobiles.

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Manx, the mobile man

Manxman · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 11:39 am Post subject:

16) Only a couple of hours but I've moved many miles. Now I'm in Japan for my 16th Company making toy steam engines. Sort of sideways before going 'down under'.

Now a few steam toys seem to have been made in China / Japan but often for other European or American firms. But, here we have a modern Japanese Steam Car. It's made by Gakken, cheap and with quite a lot of plastic. I think I love it because it is a bit different and is just a little bit of fun.

I hope people like this little car while I stop for lunch (UK time) and check on what the family are up to.

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Manx, the mobile man

Manxman · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 7:14 pm Post subject:

17) After only a short rest in Japan I'm off on the move again and this time another long flight to Hattersley Street, Banksia, Sydney, Australia. I only own one pure Australian engine but it's a real good one.

This Steam Roller was made by Leonard Pugh's company Renown. The Renown trade mark was registered in 1945 and the Steam Roller was first made in 1948 and the whole thing folded by the late 1950's.

I love this Renown Roller and have to thank other forum members for helping me get this mobile. It really is such a great engine.

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Manx, the mobile man

Les · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 7:18 pm Post subject:

I am enjoying this tour immensely, can you tell me if the decal on the front of the Renown is original or is it a replica??
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Les - Nolo Servile Capistrum

www.freewebs.com/lesmarsh

Manxman · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 8:49 pm Post subject:

Manxman · Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2008 6:58 am Post subject:

18 ) What a weekend and still I continue the Manx Would Tour. It seems such a shame to be leaving Australia and one day I'd love a Scorpion Wagon but for now we'll have to settle for a short (ish) trip accross the water to New Zealand and a few more mobiles.

The first place to visit here is Havelock North, on the North Island and the home (back in the 40's and 50's) of Donald Cranko.

He started making his toy steam engines in about 1946. The Steam Roller was one of the first models to be made and seems to have stayed in the catalogue until the close of Cranko in 1957.

Quite a few people on the forum now have one of these mobiles and they are brill little models and show off very well the difference between Australasian and European toy steam engines.

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Manx, the mobile man

Manxman · Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2008 7:06 am Post subject:

19) A short trip (in world terms) to the town of Greymouth on New Zealand's South Island and we come to the home of David Auld.

Auld started making steam toys in 1966 and seems to have continued to turn out small numbers of engines right up until about 1988 or 1989.

Included in the Auld range of models was a Steam Roller and a Traction Engine. I only own a Steam Roller but the TE is on my wish list for 2009.

I love these models because they are totally presented as toys and nothing else. The red disk on the front is excellent and just makes you want to pick it up and steam it.

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Manx, the mobile man