NEVER mind the petrol crisis, buy yourself a train.

And for those who can't afford the real thing, a whole host of model railway locomotives, rolling stock and equipment is going under the hammer at a Malvern sale today.

Auctioneer Philip Serrell is disposing of the lifetime's work of a Worcester collector who died recently.

"We were amazed when we went to the house," said Philip.

"One room was absolutely choc-a-bloc with model trains, carriages, track, railway books. You name it, it was there.

"It took us a week to pack it all up and catalogue it."

Among the collection were models by Hornby, Rivarossi, Wrenn, Triang, Airfix and Fleischmann.

"I should think the Wrenn models are the most sought after," he added. "They could easily make £100 or so each."

As well as models, the sale will include six boxes of railway- related books, mostly covering rail companies in the Midlands and South West.

The model railway collection forms part of Philip Serrell's regular sale of antiques, fine art and collectibles at his Malvern salesroom in Barnards Green Road, Malvern.