At half past nine on Wednesday 26 August 2026, four salerooms open their doors on the same morning — and between them they run from George Cornwell’s lifetime of model railways to a papier-mâché trinket box and an Emlyn Hughes-signed football. Bid from your chair and you can move between North Yorkshire, Berkshire, Staffordshire and South Yorkshire without leaving the sofa. Here are the four sales worth clearing your morning for.
What’s in the Vectis model trains sale?
Vectis is the name serious railway modellers watch, and this is Day 2 of a sale carrying Part 3 of the late George Cornwell Collection — the kind of single-owner grouping that pulls collectors from across the country. Named collections like Cornwell’s matter because provenance does half the authentication work for you: a lifetime’s careful acquisition, catalogued and offered in tranches, tends to be honest, complete and lovingly kept.
Expect the usual Vectis strengths across gauges — locomotives, rolling stock, boxed sets and layout accessories — with the collector-grade condition that keeps hammer prices firm. If you model in O gauge or chase early tinplate, this is exactly the sort of dispersal where the good pieces surface.
When and where is it? Vectis Auctions Ltd, Fleck Way, Thornaby, North Yorkshire, on Wednesday 26 August 2026 from 9:30 am (BST), running online and in person. Browse the full listing on our Vectis model trains preview, see more from the house on the Vectis Auctions page, and view the live catalogue on the-saleroom to leave a commission or absentee bid.
What can you expect at the Dawsons Discovery sale?
Dawsons Discovery is the general-interest sale done properly: a mixed offering of antiques, wine and collectables where the pleasure is in the range. These are the sales trade dealers and interior designers quietly love, because a well-priced side table, a case of drinkable claret and an unexpected bit of decorative silver can all cross the block in one session.
Because it’s a broad catalogue rather than a specialist one, it’s a forgiving place for a first-time bidder to find their feet — smaller estimates, plenty of lots, and the option to leave an absentee or commission bid if you can’t make the room. If wine is your weakness, read the catalogue notes on storage and provenance before you commit.
When and where is it? Dawsons Auctioneers, Unit 8 Cordwallis Park, Berkshire, on Wednesday 26 August 2026 from 9:30 am (BST), online and in person. See the details on our Dawsons Discovery listing, explore the wider programme on the Dawsons Auctioneers page, and follow through to the live catalogue to register.
What’s in the Richard Winterton toys and trains sale?
Richard Winterton’s Toys & Trains Sale — the Tamworth catalogue from 34-35 Church Street — is a nostalgia magnet, the kind of sale where a boxed diecast, a tinplate loco or a childhood-favourite figure sets collector against sentimentalist. Toys reward condition and completeness above almost everything: original boxes, unbroken cellophane and intact accessories are what separate a display piece from an everyday runner, and the keen bidders in the room know it.
Whether you collect model railways to run or to keep mint-in-box, a dedicated Staffordshire toy auction like this is a proper hunting ground with genuine variety. It also makes a neat companion to the Vectis session earlier the same morning if trains are your thing.
When and where is it? Richard Winterton Auctioneers, Wood End Lane, Fradley Park, Lichfield, West Midlands, on Wednesday 26 August 2026 from 9:30 am (BST), online and in person. Full details sit on our Winterton toys and trains listing; see more from these Staffordshire auctioneers on their house page, and register through the live catalogue on EasyLive.
What are the standout lots at Doncaster Auction Centre?
The most eclectic catalogue of the day belongs to Doncaster Auction Centre, and it’s online only — so everyone bids on level terms. This is where the magpies among us will linger. A few genuine highlights:
- Emlyn Hughes O.B.E. signed commemorative leather football — a proper piece of football memorabilia carrying the late Liverpool and England captain’s autograph.
- Nineteenth-century French ebonised mantel clock by LeRoy à Paris — a respected maker; an ebonised case with a Paris signature always draws the horology crowd.
- Disney collectables, including a Beauty and the Beast Mrs Potts ceramic teapot and several Jim Shore Disney Traditions figurines — Belle with sheep, Lady and the Tramp and more — a fast-growing collecting niche.
- West German pottery — a Scheurich Keramik floor vase (model 517-45) and a Heron Pottery iridescent galaxy-glaze vase, both riding strong mid-century “fat lava” interest.
- Pentax K100D digital SLR boxed with bag and accessories, alongside a five-piece Victorian marbled art-glass dressing table set and gilt-metal Rococo and Neoclassical jewellery caskets.
The breadth is real: a Giuseppe Armani porcelain figurine, cast-iron and brass fire dogs, a silver-plated cruet, an Art Nouveau-style lily pond four-light table lamp, a D.S. Nicholass plush golly and a trio of McDonald’s Coca-Cola London 2012 Olympic glasses. A decorator’s and generalist’s playground, and the online-only format keeps the bidding sharp.
When and where is it? Doncaster Auction Centre, Unit 21 Hutton Business Park, Carcroft, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, on Wednesday 26 August 2026 from 9:30 am (BST), online only. See the lots on our Doncaster Auction Centre listing, follow the house on its auction-house page, and bid via the live catalogue on Bidspirit.
How do you bid across all four sales?
Four houses, one busy Wednesday, and plenty for the railway purist, the trade dealer, the football fan and the decorator. Register early with each saleroom — online bidding needs an approved account, and commission (absentee) bids can go in ahead of the 9:30 am start. Remember a buyer’s premium (plus VAT on the premium) is added to every hammer price. Follow Vectis, Dawsons, Richard Winterton and Doncaster Auction Centre on Auction Eagle to keep track.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which auctions are on this Wednesday?
Four UK sales run on Wednesday 26 August 2026, all from 9:30 am (BST): Vectis Auctions (model trains, Thornaby), Dawsons Discovery (Berkshire), Richard Winterton's Toys & Trains sale (Lichfield) and Doncaster Auction Centre's online-only sale.
When and where is the Vectis model trains sale?
At Vectis Auctions Ltd, Fleck Way, Thornaby, North Yorkshire, on Wednesday 26 August 2026 from 9:30 am (BST). It runs online and in person and features Part 3 of the late George Cornwell Collection.
How do I bid at Doncaster Auction Centre?
The Doncaster sale is online only. Register through the live catalogue on Bidspirit before the 9:30 am (BST) start on 26 August 2026 to bid live, or leave a commission (absentee) bid in advance.
What's the standout football lot at Doncaster?
A commemorative leather football signed by Emlyn Hughes O.B.E., the late Liverpool and England captain — a strong piece of football memorabilia in the online-only sale.
Is there a buyer's premium at these auctions?
Yes. UK salerooms add a buyer's premium, plus VAT on that premium, to the hammer price, and rates vary by house. Check each auctioneer's terms in the live catalogue before bidding.
Can newcomers bid at the Dawsons Discovery sale?
Yes. Dawsons Discovery in Berkshire is a broad antiques, wine and collectables sale with plenty of modestly estimated lots — a welcoming place for first-time bidders to register online or in person.
