We feel privileged to be offering a live steam locomotive and workshop equipment, formerly of local Nottingham model engineer Pete House in this The Saturday’s auction. 

The lots will be divided across two salerooms with the locomotive, its driver’s trailer, spares and an ingenious steam testing rig are to be offered in our Antique & Vintage Furniture sale as lots 11 - 15, and the workshop items (including a Myford Speed 10 lathe) to follow after a short while in Saleroom 5. These items will begin at lot 92.

Pete was a former railway guard and an exemplary employee, however,  on his retirement he decided to pursue his true calling - engineering with an emphasis on steam locomotives. After completing an engineering degree he set to work in a compact but comprehensively equipped and fastidiously organised workshop at the rear of his house, where he completed several ambitious projects including the rebuilding of two large scale model locomotives. One of these engines he renamed  ‘Gwen’, after his wife Gwendoline. 

An active and much respected member of the The Nottingham Society Of Model And Experimental Engineers and a lifelong professional railwayman, Pete didn’t just build locos, he revelled in running them - which is very apparent the wonderful photographs reproduced here!

We hope that this impressive and charming engine, and the beautifully maintained machinery and tools will bring as much pleasure to their new owners as they did to Pete.

Pete House and Gwen take a trip behind Gwen's namesake locomotive

 Pete House driving 'Ajax' class 0-4-0 'Gwen' at Ruddington

Pete House - Railwayman and Engineer

We are most grateful to Pete’s family for the loan of the photographs reproduced here.