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Dinkinius's picture
Dinkinius
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--34a Royal Air Mail Service Car (1935-40)

Under the Forums > Other Topics > General Information and Posts- Auctions, Shows, Sales, Meetings topic, I posted a number of images of some of my auction wins from the recent John Kinchen Collection auction conducted by Piers Motley Auctions in Exmouth, Devon. Richard and Terry both complimented the 34a Royal Air Mail Service Car in those winnings, so I thought I would include some additional images of that model. More will be forthcoming as soon as the little fellow arrives, and quite frankly, it reminds me of Christmas many years ago, when it could not come quick enough!

The 34 Royal Air Mail Service Car, or as Meccano originally referred to it as the Royal Mail Air Service Car in the advertisement for Dinky Toys on page ix of the October 1935 issue of Meccano Magazine was painted blue overall with either dark blue or black hubs, shod with white tyres.  On both doors was a transfer "Royal Air Mail Service" and the crown in reddish brown with an unknown symbol below.  Just what that symbol was I have no idea, so I am throwing the question out to the wider audience.

The following month, Meccano changed its Dinky Toys advertisement in the Meccano Magazine to Royal Air Mail Service Car. By October 1937, the sales number for the Royal Air Mail Service Car had been changed from 34 to 34a. The model made its last appearance in the Dinky Toys advertisement in the September 1938 Meccano Magazine.

Bruce   (150)

20160616/944/0352

dinkyfan's picture
dinkyfan
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Bruce----What an interesting vehicle this was! I remember seeing some photos of the actual prototype andmit really appeared to be more of a small truck or van made into a "car". As I remember, I don't think it actually saw service, but made numerous appearances to promote Air Mail delivery, etc.
For such an old model, made in an era rife with metal fatigue, yours shows some cracks, but appears intact. I am sure you are most anxious to receive it!
Best regards, Terry

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janwerner
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Bruce, a most remarkable model of a most remarkable car. As it appeared on Liverpool aerodrome in those days, it must have been an inspiration for the Meccano planners to introduce a miniature. The model seems too low compared with the real vehicle. That is a post-horn below the crown. That nasty fatigue ...  Nevertheless, a good, desirable catch, kind regards, Jan 

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On Wed, 06/15/2016 - 19:21  dinkyfan wrote:

Bruce----What an interesting vehicle this was! I remember seeing some photos of the actual prototype andmit really appeared to be more of a small truck or van made into a "car". As I remember, I don't think it actually saw service, but made numerous appearances to promote Air Mail delivery, etc.
For such an old model, made in an era rife with metal fatigue, yours shows some cracks, but appears intact. I am sure you are most anxious to receive it!
Best regards, Terry

Thank you Terry

The closest I have ever come to the real thing was Jan’s wonderful photographs he brought to light two years ago. One has to wonder what the real purpose of the car was when standard post office vehicles could have easily done the same job. Then when one thinks back, “air mail” in those days meant a higher postage fee, so the car might have been specially made (by Morris) as a publicity means of generating interest in customers using this new fangled air mail service.

When I saw this model in the auction, I did place it on my watch list, expecting there would be a stampede as the 34a does not come up for auction very frequently. I was therefore very astonished with the lack of interest, which I put down to those in the room who have inspected it and found scads of chewing gum and glue holding it together! Then I saw a couple of Internet bidders appear and assuming they were elsewhere in the country or overseas, I took that as the cue to put a bid in and you could have knocked me over with a feather when not long afterwards, the little fellow was mine! From being astonished at the lack of interest in this model, I was equally astonishing, and naturally delighted with its final price.

As I have said previously, now for the nervous and anxious wait!

On Thu, 06/16/2016 - 00:42 janwerner wrote:

Bruce, a most remarkable model of a most remarkable car. As it appeared on Liverpool aerodrome in those days, it must have been an inspiration for the Meccano planners to introduce a miniature. The model seems too low compared with the real vehicle. That nasty fatigue ...  Nevertheless, a good, desirable catch, kind regards, Jan 

Thank you Jan for your always kind and appreciated comments. I went back and had a look at all those that have passed through Vectis, most of whom did not have the same bright paint and transfer image, and although every one of them has suffered to a great degree with metal fatigue this one is comparable to many I have seen. Talk Model Toys has colour photographs of most likely the only example without metal fatigue, its only detrimental aspect being its loss of paint work.

Thank you too for that close-up photograph of what appears on the doors below the crown – a horn!  I presume this is a throw-back to centuries past when important mail was despatched around the countryside by light-built horse-drawn coaches painted a bright maroon with black upper with the driver or his passenger blowing a horn to clear the Kings Highway ahead. The advent of the railway sounded the death-knell for these distinctive coaches. Only their colours continued with the post boxes and the colour of the delivery motor vans.

Kind regards

Bruce   (150)

20160617/945/0122

john45
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Hello Terry,

The  Royal Airmail service car is a Morris chassis, the body was made by Duple Bodies and Motors Ltd. There is a picture of the real car in Meccano Magazine June 1937 at Croydon airfield. First models 34 had blue Tootsy style hubs. Later models smooth hubs, painted blue and later black. Indeed most models have fatigue and it is not easy to find a fatigue free model. I have one model in my collection without any trace of fatigue. Price at introduction was 6d and still was in February 1940. Despite pricelist of September 1940 still had many models listed, the Airmail car was not. Still hunting some more models to fill a tradebox A 2087 for six models.

John.

Dinkinius's picture
Dinkinius
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Morning all

The story of the Royal Air Mail Service Car produced by the Post Office is quite unique for both the real vehicle as well as the Dinky Toys model.

The Air Mail Post Office Van had its roots in June 1930 when a special fleet of Royal Mail vans were introduced specifically to handle and advertise the new Air Mail service. Special letter boxes were provided in various locations around the UK with both these boxes and the new vans being painted blue.  Eight Morris Minor vans were introduced for collection duties and two larger 105 cubic feet capacity vans for the conveyance of mails. (One of the latter 105 cubic feet vans had its body removed and the following is what happened to it.)

Five years later, in 1935, a blue streamline car was built for the British Post Office to promote the use of air mail. (According to John's Post above the company who built the body was Duple Bodies and Coach Ltd.) Why it took five years to consider building a special vehicle to promote the air mail service is strange, unless the use of the air mail service with its additional postal charges was not as successful as first thought or interest was starting to wane. This vehicle with its streamlined body, was designed by Maurice Lambert, and mounted on a standard 15cwt Morris chassis. This streamlined van is shown below in the many 1935 publicity photographs that were mainly taken at Croydon Airport together with a 2015 photograph taken from close to where the originals were photographed 80 years previously. (It was quite remarkable to see this building preserved in almost its original state with its current owner carrying out extensive renovations while I was there. Although the rear of the building that once faced the tarmac was not open to the public, I am indebted to the friendly employee who allowed me access to wander around there unescorted last year unlike a security officer who did not permit photography of the interior booking hall.)

In April 1935 Meccano decided to manufacture a Dinky Toys model of this streamlined vehicle, and perhaps they were unaware that only one van was produced by the Post Office or if they did, it made no difference as the publicity generated by the real vehicle could assist in sales of their toy model. The model was launched in October 1935 as evidenced by the Dinky Toys full page advertisement in that month's Meccano Magazine with the description being 34 Royal Mail Air Service Car, a title that was quickly corrected for the November issue to 34 Royal Air Mail Service Car. As mentioned in my first Post, the sales number was changed to 34a by October 1937.

In August 1938, instructions were issued most likely from the Postmaster General's office for all Minor vans to be withdrawn from airmail service; they were repainted red and entered normal service by the end of the year. At the end of 1938, the streamlined van was put on display at the Glasgow Empire Exhibition. After this it was returned to London, the special body removed and replaced with a standard 105 cu ft body and the vehicle returned to normal post office duties. Its original shell was then scrapped unfortunately.

Incidentally, if you are searching for a blue mailbox, it has been reported that one can still be found in Windsor, where this reminder of the airmail glory days is preserved as all others were either repainted or destroyed.

As for the 34a model, John45 is perhaps the same proud owner who published pictures of his model in “Talk Model Toys” on 28 February 2014 as they both appear to be the same.  In looking through Vectis previous auctions, a total of 24 34a Royal Air Mail Service Car models were sold since January 2006, and of these there was one model of a similar condition as John’s that sold in March 2007, so I wonder if John obtained that one for his Trade Box?? An image of that model is shown below with acknowledgement to Vectis Auctions.

Kind regards

Bruce   (150)

20160617/946/1241

dinkyfan's picture
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Bruce---Much thanks for the in-depth followup information on this most interesting little model.  The story behind it, as well as the variety of photos, adds so much to such a little known vehicle, that apparently had a quite short life.  As happened sometimes, the Dinky rendition actually looks better than the real thing; the Dinky  is much lower and not so stodgy looking to me.

   A wonderful acquistion and so glad to it went to a good home.....congratulations once again!

                Best regards,  Terry

john45
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Hello Bruce,

Many thanks for your excellent information on the real car. This is what we need as serious collectors. I have documented all my activity from the beginning and can see from my files that I bought the Air mail car already 1 March 1986. It came from Pete McAskie, a antique toy dealer in Mews antique centre London. For a while this was a nice place to find Dinky's as Mike Roum, Patrick Trench, Colin Badiel and David Austin had a stall. On our way to Glouchester and other swapmeets we always visited London and Mike Richardson at Eton Wick. Even in 1986 it was rare and not cheap. Just like Jan I make a very basic annual every year in Dutch language and so I can read again all my trips and special moments. Quite a lot after 35 years collecting pre war items. This is also a great help writing my articles for the Journal.

I made some contributions on TMT but my model is not in the topic 34a. However you can see a badly damaged 34a with Tootsy style hubs.

John.

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Thanks, Bruce, for this wonderful, well-documented account. An example worth to be followed. If I only had this model in my collection I would certainly use this report as an important source for my catalogue description!

We want more, we want more ...

Kind regards, Jan 

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Dinkinius
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John and Jan

Many thanks for your very encouraging words. It is always refreshing to see someone’s positive comments on a Post that has probably taken some time to prepare.  In the same vein, I never forget the “backroom boys” who make this entire website work.

One thing that would most likely put the icing on the cake would be a copy of one of the drawings prepared by the draughtsman/draftsmen at Meccano of this little vehicle.

Well, here it is, one of the Meccano drawings of the Royal Air Mail Service Van in all its “glory”, although I must apologize for the condition/quality of this little piece of history.

I knew I had seen this drawing but could not recall exactly where. Then a check through Christie’s Auction catalogues finally provided the answer. The Lot containing the drawing for the “Air Mail Van” and the “Refuelling Unit for Aeroplanes” was auctioned on 27 September 1996 together with 71 other drawings as well as factory prototypes, colour trials and working ideas.  Unfortunately no photographs of these unique Dinky Toys specimens apart from 14 of the 72 factory drawings were included in the catalogue. How I wish I were present!

The following was the preamble to the auction:

The uncle of the owner of these drawings, prototypes and Dinky Toys worked in the Binns Road Factory from 1968 to the closure in 1979. He was initially a Draughtsman and then a Checker. He was especially interested in, and developing the Space and Star Trek range. This collection, like others, was saved when the factory closed and items not thought at the time to be important were thrown out.”  The catalogue then included some details on the drawings themselves.

So, apart from the Richardsons, thankfully others were also very keen in preserving some of the Meccano historical ephemera when the factory was about to disappear. The drawing for the “Air Mail Van” as it was known at that time was Job No. 7317, and was dated 26 April 1935 barely 6 months before the model went on sale  through their agents as advertised in the Meccano Magazine in October 1935 with the last date on the drawing  being 19 April 1945. The ultimate date is interesting which indicates that some thought had been given to including the model after the war in Europe had ended.  As we know, nothing eventuated, and the model was “cast” into history.

In copying this drawing, I have tweaked the image somewhat in order to show the numerous changes that were made to it. These can be seen by the areas of white background. But I wonder where the drawing is these days, not to mention all those other mouth-watering pieces of Meccano history?

Finally, I wonder what the role of a “checker” was in the draughting office? I presume a checker examined the drawings and gave his approval for the drawings to be then used in the tooling room.

Kind regards

Bruce   (150)

20160620/947/1320

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Hi Bruce, in 2001 I wrote a 4 part article about the factory drawings of Meccano Binns Road. The direct cause was the auction of the Mike & Sue Richardson collection of such drawings in 2000, some of them used as illustrations (mostly details only) in both 'Dinky bibles'. I managed to 'save' dozens of very interesting factory lists and the drawings of the never made Streamlined Articulated Tanker Body, a favourite subject of mine. Besides an extensive description of what happened, my main message was that it was a shame, a 'sin', that the main body of all these drawings had been flogged, sold and scattered all over the world within one decade, whereas they should have been kept altogether as a unique body of industrial/cultural heritage, in a publicly accessible institution, available to everyone who intends to do fundamental research into these irreplaceable basic sources. I expressed the hope that the internet might 'repair' that drama. At this moment we still see a further scattering of this material, coming up for sale every now and then on auctions, fairs or eBay. But we can all be very happy that indeed the internet has become our main tool to re-unite these drawings and make them available - as we are trying to do now on our DTCA website. But, as your remark about the whereabouts of the Air Mail Van drawing underlines, many are still traceless, and only a limited number of poor photographic representations are known in the catalogues of all these auctions in the period 1995-2000. Let's continue our work on tracing them and make them available in digital form (which can be even more unveiling on high resolution than the physical drawings themselves).

The article I mentioned was written in Dutch only and unfortunately Model Collector could not accept a full-size translation, as it was too long for their editorial format, and I was not prepared to drastically reduce its size with loss of essential information and illustrations.

Kind regards, Jan  

 

WERNER, Jan, De Dinky Toys fabriekstekeningen van Meccano ‘Binns Road’: I Grafische bedrijfscommunicatie die nu geschiedenis vertelt. In: Auto in Miniatuur 2001:3. pp. 18-22. -First article in a series of four, discussing the Meccano Dinky Toys drawings of Meccano Liverpool, their function, history and present state.

- Dinky Toys fabriekstekeningen van Meccano ‘Binns Road’: II Recente lotgevallen. In: Auto in Miniatuur 2001:4. pp. 28-33.

- De Dinky Toys fabriekstekeningen van Meccano ‘Binns Road’: III Niet uitgebrachte modellen en administratieve lijsten. In: Auto in Miniatuur 2001:5. pp. 18-22.

- De Dinky Toys fabriekstekeningen van Meccano ‘Binns Road’: IV De Bedford Articulated Petrol Tanker uit 1948 op herhaling. In: Auto in Miniatuur 2001:6. pp. 36-40.

john45
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Hello Jan,

I totally agree with your comment on the Dinky drawings. We discussed it very often, also on TMT, but until today we have not achieved very much. I have almost 55 original drawings, mainly pre war airplanes and some cars. I bought these at the two Christies auctions, from friends and recently from Ebay. I have tried to trace drawings and come to a exchange in order to create a archive. Unfortunately this failed for several reasons. Mainly because collectors are afraid the value will drop. Both Christies auctions brought approx. Pounds 24.300,- so for a museum it was not a lot of money. Now impossible to bring them all together.

I have made duplicates in the past and recently professional scans of the drawings, so the information will not get lost in case of! Maybe it is worth to give it a second chance  to make a archive of drawings. We can start with just a list what collectors have, so we know what is around. It seems to me you are the right person as a contact with your museum archives background. Later we can ask collectors if they are prepared to donate duplicates or scans. The DTCA or Liverpool museum could be the place for the archive. For future studies the drawings are extreme important. But all this depends on the co-operation of collectors, otherwise it make no sense.

Another point, now the DTCA archive is not accurate on some drawings as the duplicates Richardson provided were not complete. Several originals are in my collection and so I can see what is missing on the PDF.

This discussion needs a own topic so maybe we can start this as "Meccano Factory drawings".

John.

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Dinkinius
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John

There already is a Topic "Meccano Factory Drawings", so I look forward to this Topic re-opening as it has been a little quiet since I wrote the last Post on 24 February 2016!

Kind regards

Bruce   (150)

20160621/948/0318

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dinkyfan
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Just want to add my thanks and appreciation to those of you who have so passionate about these drawings. As Jan has so eloquently pointed out several times, these factory drawings are so important to understanding what & when happened to the models over their service life. Nowhere else is this to be found and since its source is original, the information gleaned from them is accurate.
It is just hard to imagine that Mike Richardson was so short sighted in selling off those, without having them professionally scanned for archive use. I know the money issue was huge, but still......
Best regards, Terry

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Dinkinius
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Greetings one and all

Further to all the interesting responses to my original Post on this unique model, I thought I would let collectors know, especially those who would like to add an example to their collection that Tennants in Leyburn, North Yorkshire are conducting an auction on 6 December 2016.

Lot 535 is for not one but TWO Royal Air Mail Service Cars, although their condition is rated as "poor".  See the following image of these two models.

Here is the link to the auction:

http://www.tennants.co.uk/Catalogue/Sales/573.aspx?ct=t(TY40_Dec201612_2_2016)

Actually, I have seen worse, so the best of luck to those who are interested! I have won several auctions from this firm and they are very good. Unfortunately they have no in-house pack and posting facilities so one has to use commercial packers such as Mail Boxes, Pack and Send and The Saleroom, but it was through Tennants that I obtained my late issue 697 in the end-flap box, and my Terex with the incorrectly reversed rear hubs.

Am busy packing and have just fixed a major problem with the house, so all is now in order!

Kind regards

Bruce H.   (150)

20161205/1048/0906

 

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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As I announced already on the 'New arrivals' page I have become the happy owner at last of this Air Mail Van, three years after my desperate lamentation in comment #9 above! My patience is rewarded: this weekend I found a very good example of this van on the DTCA swap meet. I bought it from Bob Burnett at a very friendly 'DTCA member price', well below GBP 100. I had never had one in my hands and now this one looked so good that I could not resist buying it, although I had no buying intention at all for this weekend. This example is far from free of fatigue, but it is very acceptable compared with many others, and everything else is in really nice condition: the tyres, the wheels, the transfers fully complete and hardly any paint loss on an otherwise rather smooth casting surface. I like the blue hubs, which match the rest of the body so nicely. As John explained this is the second variant, showing the smooth blue painted hubs.

It's no use trying to add anything to the abundant information supplied above, and I will certainly derive a lot of information posted here for use in my own catalogue comment.  Just some new photos below, showing some more angles and details. Kind regards, Jan  

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janwerner
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Digging for some more information about this model I came across this picture of the sole surviving large factory drawing of job no. 7317, dated 26 April 1935. It is hard to read, but more than nothing. The axle width change of 19 April 1945 is included. The drawing was auctioned by Christie's South Kensington in September 1996. Kind regards, Jan 

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Dinkinius
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Hello Jan

In response to your Post #17 above, I actually included this drawing in my Post #10, although your image is "cleaner" whereas with mine, I darkened it slightly, endeavouring to bring out the white areas on the original that indicated the changes to the drawing that took place which I thought would be of some interest to the collector.

Recently I learned how the draughtsmen "wrote back to front" to indicate any writing on the "other side" of the drawing, which is very evident in this drawing of the 34a. The original I have of another model on waxed/tracing paper shows that the draughtsman printed the details the correct way around on the back of the tracing paper, and then went over the ghost image of the lettering on the correct side! Fascinating stuff. I will post part of that original drawing on the appropriate Topic one of these days.

Kind regards

Bruce (150)

20171607/1143/1240

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janwerner
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Bruce, I agree, I overlooked. In an incidental case of 'imageblindness' I was searching my own files, because I knew I had one. 

And, yes, using the other side of the drawing paper happens more than once. Like corrections and some other 'invisible' traces on the drawing's surface and in the fabric itself this is only visible with drawing in hands and will not be unveiled by a photocopy or scan! Kind regards, Jan 

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Dinkinius
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Greetings all!

When I was preparing the new Topic on the Royal Air Mail Service Car in June last year I was intending to include the New Zealand stamp that depicted the solitary vehicle used for publicity purposes in the UK. However, with one thing and another, I neglected to do so.

While looking through my New Zealand stamp album recently I came across the actual stamp so I decided to conduct a little research as to why New Zealand selected a solitary UK vehicle for their Express Delivery issue. It was then that I made a most unexpected discovery: The vehicle depicted on the stamp should have been a Chrysler Coupe examples of which were in use throughout the major centres in New Zealand in the 1930s.

This is an extract from the New Zealand Post Office website:

EXPRESS DELIVERY

On 1 January 1901 an express delivery and special messenger service was introduced by the Post and Telegraph Office. On payment of a special fee, the sender of an article could ensure that it would be delivered as soon as possible after receipt at the office of destination. A special stamp was produced in 1903 to better promote the service

By 1938 the original stamp had been in use for 35 years and it was thought that the time had come to introduce a new one. As a Chrysler coupe was then in use in the larger centres for the delivery of Express correspondence, it was felt that this would be an appropriate subject to depict on the stamp, which was designed by James Berry and engraved by the Australian Commonwealth Note and Stamp Printer with a value of six pence, 6d.

This stamp design was based on a photograph of a type of Chrysler coupe then in use in larger centres for delivery of express correspondence.  

This is the Express Delivery postage stamp:

Although not locating a copy of the photograph mentioned above, I returned to the stamp, and on enlarging it, my conclusion was that it did not depict a 1934 Chrysler Airflow Coupe. Although the Chryslers in use by the New Zealand Post Office may have used a body manufactured by a domestic company, there were too many differences that eliminated this theory.

This is a Chrysler Airflow Coupe that should have appeared on the stamp ignoring the spats over the rear wheels as these may have been removed by the Post Office.

 

Enlarging the stamp there are many differences between the 1934 Chrysler Coupe and the vehicle depicted on the stamp.

But this is what looks to be the vehicle, the special-built, Morris!

As can be seen above, the drawing on the stamp is too “squarish” to be a Chrysler; it has a one-piece windscreen, the vehicle has single headlights whereas the Chrysler had twin vertical headlights, the door is rearward opening whereas the Chrysler had the conventional forward opening door and there is the semblance of a fin above the windscreen which is typical of the Morris which coursed along the roof and down the rear of the vehicle.  Lastly, the bumper bar at the front is different with both vehicles. Notice the similarity between the stamp and this photograph.

Although the NZ Post Office has stated “This stamp design was based on a photograph of a type of Chrysler coupe then in use in larger centres for delivery of express correspondence” in my opinion the Australian designer did not have access to a photograph supplied by the NZ Post Office of the Chrysler Coupe in use for Express Delivery, or if he did, ignored it, using instead for some reason the publicity photographs of the Morris Royal Air Mail Service car. If there was an error, intentional or accidental, obviously the NZ Post Office who would have approved the engraving anyway, either did not notice it or if it did, thought the vehicle was close enough to the Chrysler, so why would anyone notice it! Yep, someone did 79 years later!

Perhaps one of these days, a photograph of the actual Chrysler in use by the New Zealand Post Office will eventually turn up, and can be added to this Topic. Perhaps our resident Dinky Guru Ron may turn up a photograph or two!

In the meantime, the Dinky Toys 34a Royal Air Mail Service Car still graces the pages of countless philatelic collections throughout the world! Isn't that nice!

Kind regards

Bruce H.   (150)

20170208/1151/1209

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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A nice find and interesting story, Bruce! With its lower, speedy looks the stamp image resembles the Dinky even better than the higher looking real one! I'll have to check my father's stamp collection on the loft to see if it's present there (although I judge the chance rather minor, the main focus being on other territories). I always love the graphic quality of these tiny little pieces of engraving work like this. Would it be possible for you to post the stamp once more, but in a higher resolution / enlarged size? Kind regards, Jan 

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Dinkinius
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Greetings Jan

I quite agree with your assessment of the graphic qualities of postage stamps in the past. These little pieces of paper with adhesive were a real art form sadly missing in today's hustle and bustle. The engraving process on a series of plates with shadows created by increased lines, and the imposition of watermarks for secuity were little miniature works of art.

The stamp does show the Royal Air Mail Service Car in a manner not often seen, and of course it is nice that our Dinky Toys 34a is probably the only Dinky Toys that is featured on a postage stamp! Even if it was featured accidentally!

I hope the image below is satisfactory for your purposes.

Kind regards

Bruce H.   (150)

20170408/1152/0059

dinkycollect's picture
dinkycollect
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DTCA MemberFrance

Hello Bruce,

There is at least one more Dinky Toys on a stam, the 62 Ford Zephyr.

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janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Thanks Bruce, a little piece of art work indeed!

Jacques, any idea if this stamp makes part of a series (of similar/related items or topics)?

Kind regards, Jan

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dinkycollect
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Hello Jan,

Sorry, I have no idea, I know nothing about it.

All the best.

Jacques.

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Dinkinius
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Jacques

You were quite correct that the Dinky Toys 162 Ford Zephyr was another Dinky Toys to appear on a stamp although I am relieved when I wrote  "our Dinky Toys 34a is probably the only Dinky Toys that is featured on a postage stamp" with the emphasis on "probably" and not as an assertion!  The Dinky Toys 162 Ford Zephyr is, as you quite rightly stated another one, although it has the achievement of being (unless later corrected!) the only Dinky Toys to appear on a postage stamp, "as a toy".

The stamp formed part of a series produced by Royal Mail and released on 18 September 2003 depicting toys of British manufacture. (Hope that answers your question Jan!) I am not certain if the date has some special significance in the British Toy Industry, although it could have been issued to mark the end of the toy industry in the UK! By 2003, only the name Hornby continued as a a separate brand and buy-out, being divorced from its creator although production had been completely transferred to China by 1999. Over the years Hornby Hobbies has acquired many previously independent and well-known companies such as Lima, Rivarossi, Airfix, Humbrol and lastly Corgi, although its headquarters was still located in Kent, primarily as a visitors centre. I am not certain as to where executive decisions are made, design staff located, but there was a rumour that production of trains would return to Great Britain but it seems that never eventuated.

So, with Jacques' input, two of Meccano's models have appeared on a stamp, one as a representation of the prototype vehicle and the other as a representation in its own right.

Kind regards

Bruce H.   (150)

20170508/1154/0135

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janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Opening of the Royal Air Mail Service (1934) in 4:13 minutes!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mO-4uhiXfM#t=67.251985

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Jan, a beautiful movie, but I missed the queen wink. In the end, I have something to say about the delivery of our packages today..

Of course, the remarkable design of this car comes true. When I see him, I immediately think of the speed of the wind. The design will have to do with the speed it has to radiate and, of course, must be streamlined with a wing on the back of the car that reminds an airplane. Because it has to do with "airmail" that of course was transported by plane. And it has to go fast. A promotion for the Royal Air Mail and I have to say that Royal Air Mail has always been reliable and fast. I salute for this royal post.

As international collectors of Dinky Toys we are dealing with the mail, which delivers our packages. And we would like to have that as soon as possible. Royal Air Mail has always been reliable and fast so far. Now, on Ebay, many international sellers in UK and USA are doing the international shipping phenomenon through the so-called Global Shipping Program GLS, in which Ebay, Pitney Bowes and Hermes play a dark role. A disaster for us as international collectors. The organization is as dark as the night, more expensive and the post is longer on the way. And the complaints settlement is shady. The one points to the other. No progress. My experiences with that are very bad.

Further about the car: There are many bags in the car on the movie. Probably one large loading area that runs all the way to the back. Not very comfortable to pick up the bags with mail again.

Jan Oldenhuis, 8-11-2017

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Indeed, the movie is an eye-opener and demonstrates that this vehicle deserves full marks, both for show/publicity and inefficiency. 

As present day package mail is concerned it is my experience that the more standard and cheap the kind of mail service used, the faster and problem-less the package seems to arrive, be it either from neighbour countries or the rest of the world. Kind regards, Jan 

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The modern Royal Air Mail Service Car and the traditional Royal Mail Van, an illustration which I included in an article about this model in the Auto in Miniatuur bimonthly, the October 2019 issue.