The toy trains which put Angell in heaven

He saw one once, just over 30 years ago. Alas, the owner would not sell. And so the quest for Dave, an epic collector of Tri-ang model railways, continues.

He was not yet four years old when the seeds were sown of what was to develop into a collection passion which has now led to him sharing his knowledge by writing his first book, the newly-published "Tri-ang Collectables."

As so often with collectors, there is one elusive item which he would love to add.

"There's one item I want, and it's a factory error. It's a yellow Nellie tank engine which was incorrectly numbered 7.

"The number should be 6, or if it is 7, then it should be blue. I saw one in Derby in 1986. The guy wouldn't sell it.

"I'm known for collecting Nellie tank engines. A normal yellow one, in good condition, number 6, would go for £50 to £100, but with a number 7 it could be double that.

"They just put the wrong number on it and the factory quality missed it. I have only ever seen one, and have never heard of another."

For Dave, an electrical support engineer who is 57 and from Telford, it all began as a three-year-old.

"The best I can remember is that for the Christmas just before I was four I had a Tri-ang pull along steam engine, called a Chuff-Chuff. I had already got one - I don't know where from - so my Christmas present was taken back to the shop and exchanged for a Tri-ang pick up goods set. The loco in that was Nellie, a little tank loco, with three goods wagons.

"For my fourth birthday I had a cattle wagon, a coach off my aunty, and I had enough money to buy a point - a junction."

This meant he could create a little siding into which to shunt the wagon.

"I used to sit on the parquet floor and play trains for hours. I was just hooked on it. My granddad worked on the railways which may have had some influence. All I can remember as a child is having train sets on the floor."

Every birthday and every Christmas would see extra bits added to his train set. Many of his trains came from Alltree Bros. in Shrewsbury High Street.

His early childhood had been in Peterborough, but the family moved to Shifnal and he went to Wellington Grammar School by train every day.

As he became a young man he became more interested in the collecting side.

But did he have that cliched childhood ambition to become a train driver?

"No. I wanted to become a milkman. I had a green Matchbox milk float and wanted to be a milkman, but I don't think the early mornings would have been very good."

His collection is mainly, but not exclusively, Tri-ang railways - among others he collects are Minic Motorway, Jump Jockey, and Playcraft Trains

"My main collection is stuff from the 1950s to the late 1970s and early 1980s. You can't go to the shop and buy them."

He exhibits at vintage toy shows and model railway exhibitions, but also trades, going to swap meets.

How many does he have?

"Crikey. Probably 600 or 700 locos, and thousands altogether.

"Tri-ang locos can range from £15 for a very basic tatty tank engine to a few hundred for a rare one. They're not worth thousands like some toys."

Dave, who is an active member of Telford Steam Railway and drives the locos there from time to time, has written for collectors' and model magazines and was approached by publishers Amberley to ask if he would be interested in doing a book.

The resulting "Tri-ang Collectables" looks at the Tri-ang story and lat some of the toys which brought such joy to so many children down the years.

"What I have tried to do is put enough information in to satisfy Tri-ang collectors, but have also tried to make it light enough for those who remember having a Tri-ang railway as a kid to enjoy the book."

The book is available from the publisher but also through his own website www.daveangelltrains.co.uk and he also sells it at events he attends - he's at Craven Arms &District Model Railway Exhibition at Ludlow Racecourse on August 19, from 10am to 4.30pm; at Telford Railway Modellers Group at the Charlton School, Wellington, on September 30; and at Rodington Model Railway Society at Rodington Village Hall on November 4.

Dave has customers all over the world - there is, for instance, a big collecting fraternity in Australia where Tri-ang had a factory - and says feedback to his book has been very positive.

Tri-ang Collectables is published by Amberley and costs £14.99.