Karl Bub Clockwork Train Set
£195
Item: Karl Bub Clockwork Train Set
Origin: Germany c. 1940
A fantastic and complete table-top tinplate train set to treasure!
This O-gauge Karl Bub wind-up train set is complete with locomotive, tender, two passenger cars and one freight car. It also comes with 8 pieces of interlocking circular track, and the entire set is housed in its original divided box with pictorial lid. The box retains its original Karl Bub label with “Made in Germany” and: “Eisenbahn, vor- und rückwärts fahrend und mit Bremse” which translates to “Railroad, forward and reversing, with brake”.
Produced by Karl Bub of Nurenburg, Germany around 1940, this sturdy train set is beautifully lithographed with amazing attention to detail. The locomotive bears the KB trademark, as does each passenger and freight car. The freight car has sliding doors with handle to either side. Each piece of track is branded with the KB trademark and “Germany”, and nicely finished with interlocking clips to keep the circular track intact. One of piece of track features a brake switch which trips the locomotive’s on/off pulley to stop the train.
The train is driven by a clockwork motor and operated by an on/off lever at the back of the locomotive, which is positioned next to the forward/reverse lever. The train is in working order, travelling in both forward and reverse, and there is very little wear at all to the loco and rolling stock.
The locomotive measures 7 inches in length (18 cm), tender is 3 inches (8 cm), passengers cars are 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) and freight car is 6.5 inches (16.5 cm)
Condition:
The train is in excellent condition with little play wear. The track shows slight areas of discolouration, but no rust. The train runs well in forward and reverse, and is at it’s best with up to four cars on the track. I found it a bit slow in forward with the fifth car, but fine in reverse. The box is in good condition with water stains throughout. The internal dividers are firmly intact. The original lid (without sides) has been expertly restored onto an age-appropriate lid with sides. The restoration appears to be early, and while I don’t usually handle reproduction toys or boxes, this work looks to have been carried out sympathetically and with respect to preserving the origin lid – well done!
