Bassett-Lowke models

[fittie]

I was looking through an old Grand Union book and noticed an add for Bassett-Lowke with model boats made for the Grand Union Canal Co.

Has anyone seen any Bassett-Lowke boat models or models made for the GUCC?

[bizzard]

I have a reprint of their 1904-5 catalogue. Apart from minature steam engines and boilers for model boats the only boats they made then were a model house boat, a clockwork fire boat, clockwork rowing boat, submarine, The plunging pike, gun boat and wind tossed sailing boats and a clockwork diver. I do have some 0 gauge. Bassett Lowke model railway coaches.  They probably made the model GU boat much later than 1904-5 though, I don't know.

[David Schweizer]

2 hours ago, bizzard said:

I have a reprint of their 1904-5 catalogue. Apart from minature steam engines and boilers for model boats the only boats they made then were a model house boat, a clockwork fire boat, clockwork rowing boat, submarine, The plunging pike, gun boat and wind tossed sailing boats and a clockwork diver. I do have some 0 gauge. Bassett Lowke model railway coaches.  They probably made the model GU boat much later than 1904-5 though, I don't know.

Certainly not until after 1929, when the Grand Union Canal Company was first established.

[Paul H]

A quick Google produced this.  1934 apparently.

Edited August 30, 2017 by Paul H

[alan_fincher]

1 hour ago, Paul H said:

A quick Google produced this.  1934 apparently.

Marvellous.

It's a bit fuzzy, but the lock looks obviously widened GU Brirminham main line, complete with Ham Baker paddle gear.  It only lacks the former narrow lock alongside that most, (all??), of these locks have!

Unless the barge is Progress, it looks like the GUCC have after all realised their ambition to operate barge width boats on this section!

[bizzard]

Bassette Lowke did take on commissions for things like this, also building complete model railway layouts for the wealthy, from 0 gauge through to I think about 10'' gauge garden and public park railways. Steam, clockwork and electric.

[Laurence Hogg]

The picture is of the layout built for Grand Union. I understand in the early 1970's that this still existed, very likely at Bulls Bridge. I am not sure if the model of "Progress" came from it that resides (or did) in Stoke Bruerne. Also in Stoke was a very accurate but incorrectly named GU motor model. BL built these types of models for many industrial manufacturers and today they are worth a lot of money.

[alan_fincher]

1 hour ago, bizzard said:

Bassette Lowke did take on commissions for things like this, also building complete model railway layouts for the wealthy, from 0 gauge through to I think about 10'' gauge garden and public park railways. Steam, clockwork and electric.

I've never seen a 10" gauge clockwork loco model.  I bet you need both a very large key and also to be super strong to make it work!

[bizzard]

18 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

I've never seen a 10" gauge clockwork loco model.  I bet you need both a very large key and also to be super strong to make it work!

Yes gauge ''1'' I think was the limit for clockwork.,

[Ronaldo47]

This is very briefly mentioned in the book "The Bassett-Lowke Story" by Rowland Fuller, New Cavendish Books, 1984. No photos, only an entry for the year 1934 in Appendix III , Principal Exhibition Class Ships, which says 

 

" GRAND UNION CANAL Scale 1:48 Working model of a short section with locks   Grand Union Canal Co. "

 

This seems to have been the only canal-related model they made. However,  Bassett- Lowke made many scale models, both static and working, for shipping companies, and during WWII made instructional scale models for the armed forces, including miniature Bailey Bridge kits and Mulberry Harbours for training Royal Engineers and others. 

Edited July 17, 2020 by Ronaldo47
Typo

[Tracy D'arth]

That would be a large model in Marklin "O" gauge, would love to see one.

I wonder how many were produced, every boat hire base should have one for demonstrating to clients. 

It would seem, only one, shame really.

TD'

[Ronaldo47]

I did once see a working model of a canal lock to about the same scale at a model railway exhibition a decade or so ago, made by a husband and wife team who normally made railway models. The only working aspect was that the water in the lock  chamber, which contained a floating barge, rose and fell. While it was an excellent model, the windlasses,  on the ground next to the lock beams, were at the wrong end of the lock, being adjacent the stern of the barge, not the prow. Perhaps they had never worked a boat through a lock themselves, or had put the model barge in the lock the wrong way round. 

Edited July 18, 2020 by Ronaldo47