LGB STAINZ Train Sets - LGB 1981-2, LGB 20301 MF, LGB 20501,20520,20522,20526

With a heavy heart we like to let you know that Klaus Baumann, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Old LGB Nuremberg passed away last Friday, August 27, 2021 at the age of 85. He is survived by his wife Barbara of 58 years, his two grown children and their families. His life was dedicated to LGB and his influence on the brand will live on forever.

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Aah, the joys of the Golden Years! LGB was at its height and knew that the money was in the "starter sets" with the Stains sets leading the team.

The year 1984 started with the 1981 Anniversary train set seeing a 2nd edition volume. To phrase our own blog:

" In 1984 the set was released AGAIN with an edition of 1,000 and a loco with a red steam chest. This edition was cataloged in the 1984 catalog on page 14. Why? That will remain an LGB mystery. That edition was RARE and was hard to find, even for your Famous Klaus. We tracked it down on Hattons Model Railways in the UK:

LGB 1981 - 2 Courtesy of hattons.co.uk

 

As our dearest readers might remember, 1984 was also the year when the first LGB Clubs sprang to life in the USA and their success was phenomenal. That input into their profit situation was aboon for LGB and their thank-you mirrored in the LGB 20301 MF for Marshall Fields. The LGB Club Chicago had quite a lot of links to the major department store. An edition volume of 500 (!!) speaks volume of the ties that bound.

LGB 20301 MF - Courtesy of picclick.com

The set came with a transformer and 4 figurines. The engine was either an LGB 2010 or 2020 base model. An additional passenger car was also available. It was a USA special and not sold in Germany nor Europe. 

LGB was right at it with another STAINZ set for the VEDES group, the German toy store association. The LGB 20501:

LGB 20501 - Courtesy of Only Trains

The set was sold as a US special as well as in Germany and Europe. Edition is unknown. LGB used the item number 20501 also on another set featuring the LGB 2076.

The next specialty set was made for MC Modellbahn Center - one of the big LGB retail stores/dealers in Western Germany. The store is still in operation today!. Edition volume was 600, the train set celebrated the "Pinzgauer RR", the blue car labeled w/PNZGA SCHENKE, the green car labeled "Zell a.See - Krimml"

LGB 20520 - Courtesy of Grootspoor.com

The set is still available today and grootspoor currently (August 2021) advertises it for EU 299.00 (approx. US$ 356.00)

The nexStainz set was LGB 20522, another retail-dealer special, this one for the German association of  "Freizeit-Hobby-Spiel" (Leisure Time, Hobby, Play). The set included either a 2010 or a 2020

LGB 20522 - Courtesy of grootspoor.com

At the time of writing this set is also available at Grootspoor for EU 299.99 or about US$ 356.00. Edition volume is unknown.

And just in time for Christmas LGB cooperated with another Nuremberg Specialty manufacturer the gingerbread maker "Schmidt Lebkuchen". The LGB 20526  edition was limited to 1,000:

LGB 20526 complete set - Courtesy of Only Trains

Sales were exclusively operated through the Schmidt bakery.

++++++++++++++++++++++ to be continued............

LGB STAINZ Train Sets - LGB 20301 BZ, 20513, 20514, 20516

 The early 1980's were the fat years for LGB. The LGB trains were a worldwide success, LGB was everywhere, in retail stores, in at least 20 countries worldwide, LGB Club activity spanning continents. (National) German TV shows featured LGB trains at least once a month. And the Richter brothers started to live the good life.

The STAINZ Train sets built the bedrock of the LGB success story. And 1983 was proof for that. After the 100 anniversary set 1981 sold very well LGB sought to replicate that success and published the "Blue Train", with an edition volume of 20,000:

LGB 20301 BZ engine - Courtesy of worthpoint.com

LGB 20301 BZ train set - Courtesy of picclick.com

The LGB Kompendium describes the Blue Train as follows: (quote)

"Passenger Train "Blue Train" consisting of  steam loco (base model 2020) and 2 passenger cars. Loco chassis, boiler, smoke stack and built-on in black, steam chest in silver color, cab in blue, labeled loco No "2" and "LGB". Connecting rods in silver/red, loco wheels red. Both cars (base model 3007) blue, roof in grey, w/3 small roof vents each. Labeled underneath the roof w/"BLAUE ZUG/ BLUE TRAIN / LE TRAIN BLEU". Decorative lines below windows forming a rectangle. Both cars w/spoked wheels. ..."

According to the Kompendium LGB made an 20301 BZ with a golden steam chest but we did not find any photo images of that. If they exist they were probably made for VIP business partners as a give-away. LGB advertised this train set with a one-leaf flyer in German(y) only:

Advertising the Blue Train - LGB flyer from 1983

 The 'backside" advertised the diesel engine RED Train train set.

A Google search revealed that despite no further advertising the Blue Train found its way to LGBoA faster than greased lightning since all advertised ('re'sale) Blue Trains were/are offered in the USA. The price was probably around US$ 400, justified by LGB(oA) because of the 'limited edition". Though there is serious doubt they ever revealed that 20,000 were made....

But that wasn't enough to fill LGB coffers aside from the regular LGB offer in the main catalog featuring 164(!) pages. LGB also offered these sets:

LGB 20513

LGB 20513 - Courtesy of liveauctioneers.com

This set featuring an LGB 2020 in red, one box car and one passenger car (base model 3007). The series was made for VEDES, a German toy dealer/retailer association (very powerful in those years). Hence the labeling" Freizeit, Hobby, Spiel" (Leisure time, hobby, play- which was supposed to mirror the product diversity of the toy retailer. As if your local FAO Schwarz store needed any introduction...). The limited edition was 1,000. Of which - by pure toy store(y) miracle - most ended up in the USA...

LGB 20514

LGB 20514 - Courtesy of eBay.com

This set was most probably made for the Austrian toy dealer association and consisted of an LGB 2010 engine, a high gondola car, base model LGB 4021-8 and a flat car (LGB 4003 D) with a white container labeled DHS and "Spiel & Hobby". The edition volume was 800. 

LGB 20516

the set included a LGB 2020-7 with a green cabin on a black body with a red chassis, a green high gondola car (LGB 4021) and a boxcar with labeling for the Brinkmann company.

LGB 20516 Brinkmann car

Edition was also limited to 800. No price is known nor to whom it was sold by Brinkmann or for Brinkmann.

There is no history left on the Brinkmann company and Yours Truly would appreciate any further knowledge from our dear readers.

+++++++++++++++++++to be continued...