The auction is predicted to be a second record breaking auction at the Cowra War and Rail Museum.

Every piece of the museum’s extensive collection of railway, military, petrol and oil items will be sold due to the collection owner Ron Horsfall’s retirement.

Museum curator Trevor Davidson said it was a shame to see some of Cowra’s most unique historical items leave the area.

“It (the auction) will be bigger than Ben Hur, but a hell of a lot of Cowra’s history is going to go with it,” he said.

“The old siren from the POW Camp, photo’s from the training camp and town throughout it’s history, even the drawings done by the prisoners. Anything that’s pertinent to Cowra will end up leaving town.” 

“It’s predominantly other collectors or RSL’s who are interested in the collection, not people from around here,” he said.

The collection’s owner Ron Horsfall said he had been collecting for around 50 to 60 years with almost all the items coming from garage sales and rescued from going to garbage tips.

“I just went with the flow, what ever was available, but I’ll still be collecting when this (the collection) is gone,” he said.

Mr Horsfall estimated the value of the collection at around $2.5 million however Mr Davidson said they were unsure if the auction would reach that total.

“It will all depend on what people are willing to spend on the day, some items you don’t think will go for much will go for a lot and some items you think will go for a high price won’t and some of the pieces won’t be able to be sold and they’ll just go,” Mr Davidson said.

Mr Horsfall said that the auction would be just as exciting as the last, held mid last year.

He expects the average price at the March, 2017 to be a lot less as it is an unreserved auction.

Auctioneers Burns and Co will arrive six weeks before auction day which is set down for March 31 to catalogue and organise the collection. A catalogue will be released on March 6.