GRAVY TRAIN (1st) VERY RARE ORIG UK 1970 VERTIGO SPIRAL LP with SUPERB INNER.

	£		346
	$		458

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World in Quality, Safe Packing.

Postage: UK £4.75 (£1 per extra record). Europe (including Russia) £12.50 (£2 per extra record). Rest of World (including ALL parts of the USA) £16.50 (£3 per extra record). All boxes signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes that offer virtually no protection at all – in fact I think these things should be banned as records WILL arrived damaged in them at some time. More details on my packing nearer the end of the listing.

Posting to Russia: Yes, I do post to Russia. But delivery can take up to 4 to 6 weeks from the UK. So please be patient. I will submit a tracking number to the winning bidder, and when the packet arrives there it can be followed online using the Russian post website.

ALSO: I now apply the Ebay ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment to keep things moving – cash-flow is important to any small business. I will always keep my P&P prices as low as possible, and even after yet another Royal Mail price hike from April this year, I have NOT raised my prices and will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably heavier than most you will get. My P&P offers probably the best value-for-money for vinyl records available, and I even will pay for full insurance on any record that sells for over £100 at NO extra cost – that is UK and abroad. Also I aim to post the very same day after payment is received. You WILL see the difference when my packet arrives.

Artist or Band: GRAVY TRAIN

Album Title: Gravy Train.

Producer(s): Jonathan Peel.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: The New One; Dedication to Sid; Coast Road; Enterprise.

Side 2: Think of Life; Earl of Pocket Nook.

Label/Format: Vertigo - original format with the large swirl logo on side two, these have matt, smooth surfaces (Please see my label scans).

Label Conditions: Both very clean, fresh and attractive with only light, fine and faint spindle marks and no wear around the hole area.

Cat Number: 6360023.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Warps: Assume all records I offer have no warping of any significance and all tracking is easy and effortless and should play on all turntables and even ‘budget’ decks.

Weight of this Record: 143 grams. A very good solid weight for this label.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Rare: a poor seller even by Vertigo Swirl standards.

Original Year of Release: 1970

Matrix Nos: 6360023 A 1 1 1 1 / 6360023 2Y * 3 1 3

Musicians: Norman Barratt - Vocals, Lead Guitar; Les Williams - Bass, Vocals; Barry Davenport - Drums; J. D. Hughes - Alto and Tenor flutes; Vocals.

Brief Info: The first self-titled album by Gravy Train, one of two they made for arguably the most collectable label in the world – like their other albums, it failed to sell well. It was followed by ‘Ballad of a Peaceful Man’ which is hailed as one of the very best on the label, that faired still worse and is now one of the Swirl most difficult to find. Originating from Lancashire England, Gravy Train played progressive rock and this a very fine album. The highlight is the 16+ minute finale on side two which occupies most of the side, it is a frenzied prog classic. The album was recorded with minimal overdubbs to capture the live sound of the band, and it works beautifully. With a typically quirky Hipgnosis cover, but highly wear-prone made with soft, unprotected textured card, this one has far less wear than most of the other small few I have seen. Most of any wear on the vulnerable bottom edges. The record appears only very lightly played and only has one very fine surface mark on side two and little else. That has no sound and the disc plays superbly throughout with little unwanted. Indeed, the record itself could prove a significant upgrade for many and the cover maybe also? Not as rare as the ‘lost’ second album, but this in its own right is now proving ever-increasingly difficult to track down. So another great opportunity for Vertigo collectors to fill another difficult gap in their collection. This is one of the more overlooked prog classics on this fantastically inventive label catalogue.

Cover Grade and Format: NEAR EXCELLENT: an unlaminated gatefold format with matt, texturing on all surfaces, hopefully my two close-ups will show the style of this better. Printed and made in England, includes the Spiral inner.

Cover Front: Always liked this front cover: it has lovely colour and a quite quirky graphic, the band and title text in the charismatic style is magnificent. A very fragile front and cover all-round due to the beautiful spotted texturing is has. Clearly prone to all types of wear and few will survived without often significant rubbing. This front has hardly any with any traces near the edges and most on the vulnerable bottom corner tips. Any marks, grubbiness or blemishes away from the sides are very few and light and little detracts from this still very fresh and colourful artwork. With just three fine spine edge creases and hardly any others at all, the soft card has stood up well over time. The title and Vertigo logo are immaculate, as is the main graphic, it will not prove easy to find much better. The lack of rubbing and sticker marks always major pluses, also the lack of ‘speckle’, a term I use for rubbing to the raised areas of the texturing, is almost remarkable, this has practically none.

Cover Back: The back is largely the same, being much darker, any rubbing or ring wear would show all the more, but this has largely avoided such issues. In fact covers like this will rarely escape often heavy ring wear, this has none. A tiny few gentle, fine surface creases show little and given all the facts of age, soft card and not least, the texturing, these two outer faces are impressive and very fine looking.

Cover Inner Gatefold: The inside (also textured) is immaculate and little short of as made.

Top Edges: Any rub traces gentle and very light, both straight and unsplit.

Bottom Edges: Light to moderate (ends) rubbing which few of these softer card covers will avoid.

Right Edge(s), and Type: The front has a real tucked and folded edge that has little wear at all, also still straight. The back entrance edges are clean, sharp with very little wear at all either. Any thickening or burring almost minuscule and light as seen viewed end-on. These guaranteed untrimmed or enhanced in any way.

Spine and Text: Quite solid, straight with just a couple of fine creases near the central area. These have small rubs with most of any other near the ends. Folded square, so the edges meet up very closely together and parallel. The fragile text is barely worn and still easy to read. So a little wear, but such covers are often seen with threadbare spines and this puts this into true perspective. It has a little wear here-and-there, but not much overall.

Corners: Lighter tip rubs on the top corners, but moderate on the lower ones. Quite fine shape retained.

Cover Summary: Still a clean and vibrant cover that really does look attractive. Yes soft card covers will acquire corner and bottom edge rubs, that is almost a given being fragile. Still a strong all-round example of this delicate early 1970’s cover, one that will prove very difficult to find much better I feel sure. With fewer and fewer of these even coming on to the open market, this lovely item should please many collectors. Not for the perfectionists, but sometimes for the rarer items a little give-and-take and compromise has to be given.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT(++): this date-coded 1070 (October 1970). Very clean and very little aged at all, even the seam adhesive had darkened little. Hardly any creasing, two immaculate window circles and very clear lining. All edges unsplit with no repairs, this a really impressive Spiral inner sleeve.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(+) / EXCELLENT(++): side two arguably even better. A very fine visual copy that is very clean, shiny, intense black and very solidly pressed. A copy with minimal plays on all the evidence with any surface trace marks few, very light and faint as seen critically under bright angled light. Just one fine surface mark on side one, little else, this blemish has no sound. Visually a super record that should please many, if not most collectors.

Album Played For Grading: Yes. [I play ALL records I offer before submitting to Ebay, also the record is played in its entirety unless clearly stated otherwise. I do NOT play snippets or joining grooves to check for sound quality and quietness – I play from the beginning to end via clinically revealing B&W speakers that include the legendary tweeter from their awesome Nautilus range that reveals every blemish or minuscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This top-quality prog-rock album plays up to and most-all even above it’s high visual grading with very little to fault. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. Any surface sounds are minimal indeed – the odd gentle trace being critical on a gentle are, but overall, this is an exceptional clean pressing which must never to be taken for granted. Few copies will outperform this very early pressing significantly I feel sure. Both channels are clean and sharp, I am certain this record has been played very lightly and has been fairly well stored and carefully handled, almost certainly in a non-smoking environment. Nothing of any real note spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record, my first one of these for a long time. This record (and even the cover) will prove very difficult to find significantly better and can be strongly recommended.

Now one of the most established sellers on Ebay and still offering the finest and most accurately described and graded records I can find. I pride myself on offering a variety of genres to keep my site as interesting as possible. I will rarely offer any record that falls below a true Excellent grading, unless its of a certain rarity which will justify offering a lesser grade. I try, to the best of my ability to describe as accurately and as honesty as I can all items I offer for sale with all the relevant information I can think of to help any potential bidder and collector. You may notice I only submit records sparingly on Ebay - on average ONEADAY, a couple more at weekends if time permits, hence the name - time rarely allows for more as I Play-Grade virtually every record I offer in their entirety, not just bits to guess a grade - visuals alone do not always tell a true or full story. I will mention any defects or flaws no matter how small that I notice to be fair as possible to any interested collector – I am very fussy and my buyers have the right to be too. Every record I offer, whether it be a common or rare item deserves the same respect as far as I am concerned and will be treated the same - just because an item is rare does not always mean its good. I get just as much pleasure offering a relatively common record in stunning near mint condition as the real rare items. All the pictures I use for your guidance are taken with a digital camera or scanned - they are NOT improved, cleaned-up or made better looking than they are with camera trickery or enhancing with digital programmes. What you see is what you get and scanned labels will give a more accurate representation of the genuine colour than flash photography where light is variable. I cannot guarantee total accuracy for colours however but most will be very close. If any picture I take looks more flattering than the actual item for any reason, I will clearly state the fact in the advert and vice-versa. I hope the item below is to your liking - any questions can be emailed and I will do my very best to answer you. I am enthusiastic, and have a fair degree of knowledge about many genres and I promise quality items - bid with confidence - excellence comes as standard and so does Near Mint regularly. Please assume all records I offer have NO jumps, sticks, warps or writing on covers or labels unless clearly stated to the contrary. Thanks for your interest and Good luck – MIKE.

Deck: Linn LP12/Hercules/Cirkus with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Rondo Red moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with Terrarium Black terminated cable). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional VPI-17 vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too. Pictures taken with a Nikon D5000 SLR Digital Camera.

PACKING - THIS IS WHAT YOU GET.

What You Get: To confirm to the strict Ebay rules on shipping, I must now send ALL my packets ‘Signed-For’ with NO exceptions. Both buyers and sellers want their packets to have a safer journey and this is not a bad thing.

I now offer the fastest possible posting, often the very next day after payment is received or within two to three days maximum (unless on holiday). I only use FIRST-CLASS Mail. The record’s cover will be placed within a BRAND NEW soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my new VPI-17 Pro vacuum system to give ultimate clean grooves and playing surfaces and the best possible looks and ultimate sound quality. You will NOT get tired, dull looking, dust infested records inside worn and foggy covers with tatty inners from this seller and that’s a promise and guarantee. All records are posted in professional boxes (NOT Mailers, these do not offer any real protection). The record(s) are REMOVED from their main cover to avoid edge splits and placed within a brand new polylined inner. The record’s original inner will be included if available. The boxes are then reinforced with at least TWO, ULTRA THICK stiffeners for maximum extra protection – these are FOUR TIMES thicker than commercial stiffeners and are custom-made for oneadayrecords. Really rare and expensive albums will even be Double Boxed if deemed necessary and possible. When larger boxes are used, the thick record and stiffener ‘sandwich’ is then thickly embedded into bubble-wrap to bulk out the record inside the box to centre the item inside to reduce the risk of damage still further. Printed address labels are used for clarity as well as a sender label. Customers requests or special needs for P&P will be respected if at all possible but ‘Signed-For’ posting is NOT an option anymore. I do not profit on posting and the cost of this lavish packing is NOT even charged for, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners and bubble wrap make a near impregnable fortress for safe shipping and this is used inland and overseas for ALL my records, not just the rare and expensive. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends. My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is less than one in two thousand+ based on over 10,000+ items sold in over 12 years of Ebay trading and I consider that pretty exceptional. The only damage rate acceptable for this seller is ZERO and I think my packets will offer just that. It would take a vicious postman or postal service to damage these for sure. Even one of these stiffeners cannot be bent by hand, so what chance 2 inside a box? Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE. I discount of course for multiple purchases with a maximum of FIVE records per box (one double can sometimes be included subject to total weight). All postage costs are below and at the top of the listing.

NOTE: First Time Bidders: Please ask me first.

PLEASE NOTE: I now exercise my right to open a dispute after the Ebay rule of FOUR days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the, again after the mandatory FOUR days and then offer the item to the runner-up or relist. The non-payer will also be blocked from my Ebay site and they take the Ebay consequences (a strike or removal from the system). Small businesses need prompt payment to trade and these strict rules WILL be applied.

SHIPPING COSTS & CONDITIONS – THESE comply with EBAY’S RULES - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

Posting & Packing: UK & CHANNEL ISLANDS all now sent via Recorded Delivery:

1 LP (FIRST-CLASS Recorded Delivery with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) [Signed For] = £4.75

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £8. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £2 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA. (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £12.50 (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3). Add £3 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (ANY PART OF); South America; New Zealand; Australia; Canada; Japan and other Far East; (Airmail Only: I NEVER use Surface Mail):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £16.50 (£17.50 for double sets). Add £3 per extra LP. (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3)

Payment Conditions:

I prefer PayPal or cheque from UK winning bidders. I can accept PayPal from overseas bidders or direct payment into my bank account.

Potential Bidders: I will cancel any bids I feel are time-wasters. A maximum 3 days for communication and 7 days for payment to arrive - if not I will relist the item or offer to the runner-up. Fast deals get great feedback from me. Any questions - please ask and thanks for looking.

My Guarantee: If any winning bidder is not satisfied with their purchase I will offer a complete refund. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer, so read the item description carefully. If any overseas collector does not understand anything in my listing, please email and ask me to help. Thank You.

SOME GENERAL GUIDES TO WEAR AND CONDITIONS TO HELP YOU DECIDE

My Use of Description Terminology: Surface Marks = Superficial, usually light marks, hairlines or light scuffs that rarely sound. Scratch = a needle mark that goes below the record’s surface, some will sound, some will not, my play-grade will inform. Original = a record that has been pressed with the first label design which does NOT necessarily mean a very first pressed record. First Pressing = A record that I believe or know to be a genuine very first pressed record. I do not claim to always know for sure, and that’s why I state the stamper and matrix numbers if at all possible, for those who claim to know what they all mean, the information is there for the collector to decide. I prefer to use terms like ‘Early Copy’ rather than ‘First Pressing’ if I am not totally sure. Surface Sound = Mild, light sound, usually light crackle or similar. Distortion = Break up of the actual sound caused by groove wear or damage from a chipped stylus – the most undesirable form of unwanted sound, vintage mono records were the most prone to this happening but not exclusively so. The symptoms of distortion are high frequency clipping, moderate constant crackle or an echo type sound quality. Violin, piano and vocals are most prone to groove-wear distortion. Feathering = Fraying or softening of the entry edge of a cover. Covers with feathered entrance edges are more likely to have had the actual record inserted and removed more than a non-feathered, sharp-edged cover which are always far more attractive. Set Off, actually a printer’s term for dark ink leaving mild residue on pale or white ink when rested upon. e.g. when a gatefold cover has black ink closed against white, this can leave some black residue on the pale area – this is mostly unavoidable or course.

The Argument for Vinyl Original sound and mix (mono mixes are rarely available on CD), high quality sound on clean copies (played on a hi-end dedicated analogue system – breathtaking sound!), beautiful, large format covers, artwork, inserts and even full size posters etc; huge investment potential, and the pleasure of owning ‘the real thing’.