Glenn Martin from www.mattingleycustom.co.uk explains how selling a few renamed locos on Ebay has become more than just a part-time hobby.

It was back in 2004 that a friend introduced me to the trains/model railway section of Ebay, where I blissfully blew my bank balance on loads of locos and coaches that I just had to have! By the beginning of 2005 I thought that maybe I ought to sell some of my older items in order to fund my insatiable buying habit. I had noticed that a few sellers were auctioning renamed/renumbered models, which was something I enjoyed doing, so I thought I would give it a go. The first renamed loco I sold was a Hornby Battle of Britain renamed as No.34049 Anti-Aircraft Command using Fox etched plates and transfers.

Many more renames followed; mainly Bulleid pacifics initially, as these are my personal favourites, the nameplates are elaborate in a lot of cases and Fox cover all 140 of them. As time went on a few buyers asked me to produce specific renames for them, including a member of the Merchant Navy Locomotive Preservation Society (Clan Line) and the 35006 P&O Preservation Group. I now have a substantial number of private customers who keep me very busy!

I realised that maybe I should publicise my skills outside of Ebay and I have had a website of my own – www.mattingleycustom.co.uk, exhibiting my wares. 

In 2006 I started doing a ‘bit of weathering’ on a few models for my Ebay listings and these have proved very popular; in particular the new Bachmann 9F. I have accumulated a veritable library of photo books of the late BR era (mainly) and I reference photographs of the prototype to try to get a good representation of how these locomotives looked in everyday service when I am weathering my models. 

My main activities continue to be renaming and renumbering of proprietary models, with weathering becoming increasingly popular, I have done a few repaints and would like to get into kit-building, but alas I do not have the time at present to make such a move. I use Fox transfers and etched nameplates for the majority of my work, while they are not the cheapest on the market, for quality they can’t be beaten in my view. The Bulleid nameplates are excellent, as are those for the Gresley pacifics, also the stainless steel BR smokebox numberplates are another good example of what Mike and the Fox Team do best.

To contact me please visit www.mattingleycustom.co.uk to see other examples of my work.