Pre-war Märklin exhibition prolonged

The pre-war Märklin toy train exhibition in the OVM Doetinchem is a much larger success than predicted. At first the closing date was set at the end of February, then it was prolonged to the end of April and now they do not even want to call a closing date anymore. The museum attracts much more visitors than what was usual, and a large part of the visitors comes from other regions. Classic toy trains are popular indeed, much more than the railroad history of branch lines. I would be surprised to see some more toy trains in railroad musea. There is nothing better than the feel, rattle and smell of an old toy train running on its tracks.

Märklin Rheinuferbahn in gauge 1, remake by Thull.

Märklin passenger car with open doors

Pre-war Märklin exhibition

On November 24th a special exhibition will open in the Dutch Public Transport museum named: "Pre-war tinplate toy trains". Several collectors have borrowed their old Märklin toy trains to be displayed. It will show several top pieces like the Rheingold express in gauge 0 and the Rheinüferbahn in gauge I. It is a must-see for all serious tin-plate toy train collectors in North-Western Europe. I truely look forward to it.

Today, I made some photo's to show what the exhibition looks like. Due to the many windows, lamps and resulting reflections, this pictures just give you feeling of what it looks like. It is a must see I would reacon.

Top:Märklin gauge 0 steam powdered toy train from 1900, bottom: Rheinuferbahn remake in gauge I by Thull 1975

Top: Märklin E4021 steam train gauge I (1903-1906). Middle Märklin R1040 (1928-1931) with a string of passenger cars from 1928. Bottom: RV66/12920 with a similar string of passenger cars but then from the early 30's.

Märklin rack railroad (1926-1930) and Märklin train in gauge II (1903-1905)

Märklin S64/1302, built 1926-1928

Darstead remake of 40 cm Rheingold carriage

Märklin station no. 2003, built 1909 with Märklin F1030 steam engine (1907-1914)

Märklin 2659, built 1909-1914. Wooden ticket cupboard with Dutch language tickets

Top: Märklin HR 66/12920 with string of 40 cm D-train carriages. Middle Märklin E66/12920 with string of 29.5 cm carriages. Bottom: Märklin E66/12920 with mixed goods train

Top Märklin HR 66/12920 with Darstead 40 cm Rheingold carriages. Middle Märklin GR 66/12920 with Märklin 1855 50 tons hoppers. Bottom Märklin TW 12970/NL diesel electric, Twerenbold remake of early Dutch electrical railcar.

Märklin CER 65 / 13020

Märklin TW 12970

Märklin SZ 12970

Twerenbold Blokkendoos remake

Märklin R66 12920

Märklin 1977 dump car

The last weekend (Dec 29/30th) was an appraisal and run-your-own-old-Märklin-trains-event at the museum and it was remarkable to see which trains turned up. Here a photo of a small steamer finally running free after decades of confinement in a box. It needed some oil to get the sound right.

Good news. The pre-war Märklin exhibition is a success and hence prolonged to end of April 2013. Additionally, a catalog "Blikken treinen van voor de oorlog" in the Dutch language is available in the museum.
Now, near the end of April 2013, it has been decided to prolong the pre-war Märklin exhibition even further, due to the unexpected large shown interest and visitor numbers. No end-date is set for the moment.