Champion Flyer trains are approximately 3mm/foot scale, and run on tinplate track with a gauge of 14mm (for comparison, that is slightly less wide than H0 and 00 which share a gauge of 16.5mm, but wider than the TT gauge of 12mm). There are at least two locomotives, 'long' and 'short', together with colour and name variations. Special thanks to John Dickens who supplied both information and photographs.
Kliptico was a toy construction system believed to have been produced in Birmingham from just before WWI, until WWII. The main parts were hollow tubes, both straight and curved, and in various lengths, which clipped together to form models. Thank, as ever, to Timothy Edwards and the Meccano and Other Construction Systems site.
Interestingly, Kliptiko parts seem to have reappeared post war as Snapsticks, produced by Champion Products Ltd of Birminham, UK, which is almost certainly the same company who produced Champion Flyer train sets.
Champion Flyer Set, long locomotive and two passenger coaches |
Champion Flyer Set, long locomotive and two passenger coaches |
Champion Flyer Set, long locomotive and two passenger coaches |
Champion Flyer Set, long locomotive and two passenger coaches |
John Dickens writes : I have the remains of two sets made by Champion. As far as I can work out they are approx. 3mm:1foot. The track gauge is 14mm. One set is as your pictures but in Red and carries the logo Champion Flyer and the other has a small 0-4-0 loco with the coaches labeled Saffron Castle. Interestingly the drive wheel on this loco is larger that the wheels which would make points (turnouts) very dodgy. So far the only information that I have on Champion is Champion Products Ltd. Birmingham 7 (UK). I am told that the earlier engines had a unique motor using a cylindrical magnet and two commutates.
Thank you, John. Pictures of John's Champion Flyer items are below :
Champion Flyer Set, long locomotive and two articulated passenger coaches marked CHAMPION Flyer |
Champion Flyer Set, short locomotive and two articulated passenger coaches marked SAFFRON CASTLE. CPL must be Champion Products Ltd |
Champion Flyer Set, short locomotive and two articulated passenger coaches marked SAFFRON CASTLE. CPL must be Champion Products Ltd |
Champion Flyer Set, short locomotive and two articulated passenger coaches marked SAFFRON CASTLE |
Champion Flyer Set, short locomotive and two articulated passenger coaches marked SAFFRON CASTLE |
Champion Flyer short locomotive, marked CHAMPION Flyer Made in England |
Champion Flyer long locomotive partial set, showing more details of the decoration |
Champion Flyer long locomotive partial set, showing more details of the decoration |
Champion Flyer long locomotive partial set, showing more details of the decoration |
Champion Flyer long locomotive partial set, showing more details of the decoration |
Champion Flyer track. Was this supplied within a set, or separate sale? |
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