6a with SILVER trim!

[motorman]

Hugh, given the rarity of this silver trimmed version, is there a possibility that it is a pre pro? The management thereafter deciding the gold trim would make it to full production as opposed to the silver trim?

[Idris]

Hugh, given the rarity of this silver trimmed version, is there a possibility that it is a pre pro? The management thereafter deciding the gold trim would make it to full production as opposed to the silver trim?

It's quite possible but, in the absence of obvious casting variations, it's a claim I wouldn't like to make.
Other possible explanations are i) one of the outworkers being given a pot of silver paint instead of gold, or ii) after an initial set of castings had been trimmed in silver, management decided that it made no sense to have no. 6 trimmed in silver when all the other models were trimmed in gold since the outworker painting no. 6 would have to be issued with non-standard trim paint.

[Tinman]

I agree that it was painted when the trim work was still being outsourced. IMHO, this is no different from the models that received gold trim when the plan was for them to have silver trim. A slightly confused outworker just applied the wrong color trim. The reasons could range from simple error to the person having run out of silver or gold trim paint. At the time when this was produced, both colors of trim were in use. Regardless, the model is an unusual find and a few more should be out there.

[kwakers]

I will answer your question Motorman. (Hugh beat me!) Because the variation has remained unknown and/or unpublished all these years, there is a strong likelihood that it was either an early trial trim that did not meet someone's approval, or merely an experiment at Lesney during early production of the 6A. Because they are now known to have been found both in New York U.S.A. and by Hugh in England without any note of the odd silver trim, the idea of an odd initial release pre-pro to Fred Bronner in N.Y. alone now seems to be invalid. I Thank Hugh for that info, it answers the main question I had about them these last 4 years since I found my example. Just as on the 41A early Jag casting without its cast decal circle, the noting of this one will bring out other examples that may have been dismissed as 'Just Railroad detailing' by many of us all these years. I myself would have been unsure of the variation's validity if it were not for a close friend's experience in liquidating many of the largest East Coast collections throughout a forty year period of time. I believe his quote was 'This is only the third or fourth silver trimmed 6A I have ever seen in my lifetime of collecting and selling'.
I smile when younger collectors are first amazed, but then dismissive of such 'New' variation and trim discoveries in our Hobby. Not all has been discovered and covered in our online computerized 'New World'. Each old collection harbors it's own secrets that may still even remain quite a secret once a rare oddity is found and sold. Take Note of this Hugh......LOL ....A friend in Virginia just last year sold a version of the very rare 43 Hillman without any braces at all on it's rear rivet Post he has had for MANY years. Nick now has three roof variations listed in the rare green, but it seems there may be a much rarer variation that precedes all three of those with the added triangular braces. I bid my limit on it on E Bay with a manual snipe, but lost by just one bid increment to an earlier bidder. I may never get to see that variation sold again, and no one publicly knows about it but those who saw his E Bay listing and pictures! Even the owner never knew he had such a special rarity until he tried to code it by Stannard's descriptions while selling his collection off.......
I held a Yellow 69 Hatra on Friday at Carlisle Pennsylvania with a very last casting change in both front triangles to make them thicker, and noted it had a bit of a raised angle support between them on the front of it's cab I had known about for years, but never before seen. Bob Brennen's NAMC guide mentioned this as a variation he had in 1971, but never pictured it well enough so I could see that casting difference. I didn't snap it up on Friday, so will go on a 2000 vendor search at the Hershey Antique Car Show this week to buy it from my friend. Nick makes no mention of the noticeable casting change Bob knew about and published 43 years ago, so Hugh can now take a second note from madman kwaker's rambling Post again today. Up to my roof!.......LOL....kwakers..... If only I was clever enough to move Ghosty's picture of me down to this Post, I love it.
A Very notable comment on the outsourcing of trim painting Joe. These early models in 'Tins' without wheels and axles were sent home to the wives of factory employees to trim. When they returned with trim complete, the axles and wheels were added to finish the toys. I have an unfinished 1A and a 9A saved by one family that never made it back to Lesney.

[Idris]

There was a possible silver-trimmed 6a on Ebay this week, but the seller failed to send me any photographs which would have confirmed the casting.
Did anyone here win the lot and, if so, is it another 6a with silver trim?

[numi]

Could very well be the Silver trim variant if by chance the grille miraculously escaped injury or could be an re-trim.
I agree that the casting inspection could shed more light.
numi

[Idris]

Could very well be the Silver trim variant if by chance the grille miraculously escaped injury or could be an re-trim.

That's why I wanted the additional photographs - the grille looks to be just too good compared to the rest of the vehicle.

[nearlymint]

Seller did add extra pictures to the listing.

[Idris]

Seller did add extra pictures to the listing.

So he did! (He didn't bother telling me though!)
I can see residual gold paint on the side of the triangular tank which sits directly behind the cab. It is therefore (as I half suspected) an overpainted grille.