Thanks for all your input. I think that I've been given unwitting misinformation by the vendor, especially the name Stanhope. Written on the box is M53 Victory ship and in a different hand "Stanhope". The ship is clearly a Victory ship; there are only 2 relevant that I can find reference to. The most likely is [ref www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/stanhope.shtml]
Stanholme (2) 1945 ex- Sheepshead Bay Victory, 1947 purchased from U.S. Maritime Commission renamed Stanholme, 1947 sold to P & O Line renamed Karmala, 1967 scrapped. 7,674T.

Sammelhafen lists: the typical V. ship M53 and named varients M53a,b,c,d,e the only photo is 'British Prince'
Len Jordan LJ-M 53 Victory-Typ Freighter USA 2nd WW 1945
Wirral Miniature Ships M 53 Victory Typ Freighter USA 2nd WW 1945 Details
Wirral Miniature Ships M 53a Maron Freighter GB 2nd WW 1947 Details
Wirral Miniature Ships M 53b Khyber Freighter GB 2nd WW 1947 Details
Wirral Miniature Ships M 53c British Prince Freighter GB 2nd WW 1948 Details
Wirral Miniature Ships M 53d Constantia Freighter ZAF 2nd WW 1947 Details
Wirral Miniature Ships M 53e Averdyk

So I think that my model is LJ M53, completed as 'Stanholme' by 'name illegible'. Does this seem reasonale?

regards
John