This is one of my favorite English Marx sets; the LNER Silver Link.
This train set used
the car bodies of the M10000 but had it's own 4 or 8 wheel tender. Apparently Marx had to beef up the quality of their trains to make them acceptable to the
British consumer. The coaches of this set have floors giving them a great deal of rigidity. This particular set is the first one I found. My second set is boxed.
In typical Marx fashion this set came in more than one version. Both Silver and Green Link sets can be found as freight or
passenger consists.
The real link sets used in Great Britian are even more beautiful, my favorite being The Sir Nigel Gresley. How I would have loved to see these run in
actual service. I remember the awe I felt at seeing GG1's running and believe it would have paled in comparison to seeing a streamlined A-4.
If you, like me, love these trains see the links below.
www.gresley.org.uk/mainpage.htm
You Tube Video
The pictures above and below show one of my Silver Link sets in the box. Note the top set is electric and has the 8 wheeled tender
(no axles showing) while the second set (in box) is a clockwork set with the 4 wheeled tender.
Check out the beautiful box art (below).
As you can see this box is rough. You don't see the half of it. Someone had used the box top to mix paint. When I got the set
nearly two thirds of the top were covered with paint. Fortunately, it was water based tempera paint. I used a damp rag to remove
the paint as best I could without damaging the picture. I was fairly successful although what you see is heavily retouched
using Paint Shop Pro.. Someday I intend to make actual repairs to the box art. The digital repairs have given me more confidince.
This picture shows the box label.
The set above is a Hornby Silver Link. While this set runs on 0-27 gauge track it is
much smaller than the Marx version and more adorable. Note the unusual articulation of
the coaches. I understand that this set is rather rare. I have included it here because I
like it so much and for reference. Below are more A-4's streamliners from my collection.
(Courtesy of Colin Duthie)
Clockwork Arnold floor toy approximately "HO" scale (5") "Made in US Zone, Germany" (missing stack).
Clockwork Silver Link (badged Silver Flyer) floor toy made in Japan, Mfgr. unknown (looks like Marusan to me) 8" long.
Clockwork Blue Link floor toy made in England, Mfgr. unknown (looks like Mettoy to me) 9" long.
Note the number is 4491 while The Sir Nigel Gresley is 4498.
Clockwork Blue Link looks as though it has been repainted but upon close inspection I don't believe it is.
Made from the same tooling as above with the exception of the tab in the cab roof eliminated on this example.
Friction Link engine badged "Gyro - Golden Eagle - Flyer" approximately "O" gauge.
Marked "Made in England" "Wells 'O London" 6-1/2" long..
Clockwork "O" gauge Green Link badged "Golden Eagle". Marked "Made in England" this is made from the Brimtoy tooling.
I have no doubt this is Brimtoy. I sure would like to know what consist this headed up. 6-1/2" long.