Skipton man's toy car collection fetches £227,000

Raymond Hainsworth built up his collection over 50 years

A collection of about 3,000 toy cars and trains has sold at auction for £227,000.

Retired car dealer Raymond Hainsworth, 78, from Skipton, built up his hoard over 50 years and had expected it to sell for up to £250,000.

He said he was now "missing my collection".

The highlight of the auction was a black and white Dinky lorry in the Corn Products livery, which sold for £6,960 including commission.

The black and white Dinky Corn Products tanker was the star of the auction

Auctioneer Andrew Reed of Vectis Auctions in Thornaby, Teesside, said he thought more than half of the 2,000 lots that were sold over three days would now go abroad

The collection also included Hornby and Tri-ang toys that were not "play-worn".

Bradford-born Mr Hainsworth and his wife Pat started collecting the toys when their twin sons Ian and David were babies.

He said their first Christmas was spent surrounded by a new train set.

The collection widened to include Hornby, Matchbox and Corgi, Triang Minic and Spot-On toys, among other makes

The cherished items were not in "play-worn" condition having being kept in their original boxes

After the sale Mr Hainsworth said: "I'm a bit sad now. It didn't affect me at first but I'm missing my collection now."

Asked what he would do after selling his collection, he said: "We have a big garden so I suppose retired people look after their gardens. We will find something, I'm sure."

The Hainsworths decided to sell up as they wanted to put their entire collection in a single catalogue

"I can look at my collection, sat in a chair without going in the room and having all the trouble of dusting and keeping them clean. They are all in a book to look at."

Mrs Hainsworth, who also loved collecting, felt she had got her house back now the toys were gone.

"The trains were all over and it was like a toy museum," she said. "The O gauge trains were all on the pelmets in every room.

"It's a lot tidier."

A 1960s Thames Market Dinky truck