Auction Catalogue: Great Central Railwayana, 1 December 2018
| Lot 312 | A worksplate, JAMES MATTHEWS, BRISTOL, from a 2-2-0 steam tram built between 1879 and 1881 and sold to the Wantage Tramway in 1885, becoming their No 6, and withdrawn on the cessation of passenger traffic on 31 July 1925. Although James Matthews patented a steam tram in 1879, they did not carry out any building. One theory is that it was possibly built by Fox Walker of Bristol, the other, in the history of the Tramway, that the builder was Kingsbury Ironworks of London. The plate, originally acquired by C. Hamilton Ellis, is accompanied by a photograph of the tram showing the position of the plate on the front buffer beam, although the wording is not legible. Engraved brass, 8"x5", the face polished. £500-800 |
| This lot sold for £4100. |
