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janwerner's picture
janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

-555 and 955 Fire Engine with Extending Ladder (1952-70)

While care-freely playing with our Dinky Toys Fire Engines in the 1950s and 1960s, we had no idea that factory toolmakers had some worries to overcome with the production of this model.

As both the model itself and a comment on working conditions from a factory diecastmachine operator testify, the casting of this model was far from care free at times.

The repeated deterioration of the left hose reel box is such an obvious testimony. Above three stages, from top to bottom early 1950s, late 1950s and later 1960s.

Now I own one bare casting, having stripped off the paint from a very play-worn example, dating from before 1955 (as the now separate bottom plate shows the number 555, which was changed into 955 in January 1955).

Closer inspection shows an asymmetrical flow channel, undoubtedly added in the course of production, between 1952 and 1955, in order to ease a better penetration of the fluid zamak into that area of the die only, the right hose reel box. This means that – contrary to the left reel hose box – there was a problem from the inside of the die here. The left one will have had problems with the outside part of the die.
My curiosity into what more may have happened with the die, possibly showing more of such adaptations and cast flow improvements on the inside in the course of time, cannot persuade me to break up some of my other fine Fire Engine models.
So my question is if owners of open castings of this model could inspect their examples please, in order to see if other remarkable observations can be done in this respect.
Thank you in advance!

Kind regards, Jan Werner

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janwerner
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Hi all, unfortunately I never had a reply to my request for information above. In the mean time I keep hoping for some feed back.

Now some of you may remember Dave Busfield's photo still-life of my nine 555/955 Fire Engine with Extending Ladder variants, which we used both for the 75th anniversary Dinky Toys DTCA calendar and the wallet with cards.

In the past year or so I managed to add two more variants to the nine predecessors, bringing the number at eleven. Variations may occur both as the boxes and the models themselves are concerned. I hope you appreciate the listing below, showing these variants (the American visipac still wanting).

555/955 FIRE ENGINE WITH EXTENDING LADDER (my variants)

Year: 1952
Ladder: brown
Plastic windows: no
Reels: medium grey
Rear control panel: red-silver
Hubs: diecast
Tyres: grey radial tread
Base plate: brunofix, Dinky Toys 555
Box type 1 (blue, black/orange printed label)

Year: 1953
Ladder: silver
Plastic windows: no
Reels: medium grey
Rear control panel: red-silver
Hubs: diecast
Tyres: grey radial tread
Base plate: brunofix, Dinky Toys 555
Box type 1 (blue, black/orange printed label)

Years: 1953-54
Ladder: silver
Plastic windows: no
Reels: medium grey
Rear control panel: red-silver
Hubs: diecast
Tyres: grey radial tread
Base plate: brunofix, Dinky Toys 555
Box type 2.1 (Striped, DINKY TOYS 555)


Year: 1954
Ladder: silver
Plastic windows: no
Reels: medium grey
Rear control panel: red-silver
Hubs: diecast
Tyres: black radial tread
Base plate: brunofix, Dinky Toys 555
Box type 2.2 (Striped, DINKY TOYS 555/955)

Year: 1954
Ladder: silver
Plastic windows: no
Reels: medium grey
Rear control panel: red-silver
Hubs: diecast
Tyres: grey radial tread
Base plate: brunofix, Dinky Toys 555
Box type 2.2 (Striped, DINKY TOYS 555/955)


Year: 1954-55
Ladder: silver
Plastic windows: no
Reels: lighter grey (slight distortion on the left)
Rear control panel: red-silver
Hubs: diecast
Tyres: grey radial tread
Base plate: brunofix, Dinky Supertoys 955
Box type 2.3 (Striped, DINKY TOYS 955)

Years: 1955-56
Ladder: silver
Plastic windows: no
Reels: light grey
Rear control panel: red-silver
Hubs: diecast
Tyres: grey radial tread
Base plate: brunofix, Dinky Supertoys 955
Box type 2.4 (Striped, DINKY SUPERTOYS 955)

Years: 1957-1960
Ladder: silver
Plastic windows: no
Reels: light grey (distorted on the left)
Rear control panel: red-silver
Hubs: diecast
Tyres: grey radial tread (later grey or black block tread)
Base plate: brunofix, Dinky Supertoys 955
Box type 2.5 (Striped, DINKY SUPERTOYS in italics 955)

Years: 1961-63
Ladder: silver
Plastic windows: yes
Reels: light grey (repaired)
Rear control panel: red-silver
Hubs: diecast
Tyres: black block tread
Base plate: gloss, Dinky Supertoys 955
Box type 2.5 (Striped, DINKY SUPERTOYS in italics ‘with windows’)

Years: 1964-?
Box type 3 (USA market yellow visipac box)
WANTING

Years: 1964-65
Ladder: silver
Plastic windows: yes
Reels: light grey (repaired, distorted on the left)
Rear control panel: all silver
Hubs: plastic
Tyres: black block tread
Base plate: matt, Dinky Supertoys 955
Box type 4 (yellow illustrated lid box DINKY SUPERTOYS)

Years: 1966-70
Ladder: silver
Plastic windows: yes
Reels: light grey (repaired, distorted on the left)
Rear control panel: all silver
Hubs: plastic
Tyres: grey block tread
Base plate: gloss, Dinky Supertoys 955
Box type 5 (lavishly illustrated sturdy end flaps box DINKY TOYS)

If you know of any other variants or if you can help with any additional information about the iconic Fire Engine or some more precise datings I'd appreciate to hear from you!

With kind regards, Jan

dinkyfan's picture
dinkyfan
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DTCA MemberUSA

Jan--
Interesting post on a well known and loved Dinky Toy. I will share with what I have, although it is limited....I only have one of these, and I got it new for Christmas in 1955, so you will have to excuse the slightly playworn condition, but still pretty good since I was 10 when I got it, and fortunately, I always saved my boxes.
From your listing, mine appears to be 1954 version, with black radial tread tires, but the box appears to be a type 2.1 as it shows only #555. There is also a stamp or number printed on the side of the box label, which reads "50555", which I am guessing means May, 1955.... a little later than you seem to show for it. As you can see, someone has crossed out the 555 and added in the new #955.
By the way, my left hose reel appears to be like your early one, with no sign of degradation of the die.
Hope this helps some!

Terry

 

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Thanks for your comment, Terry. My dates are 'ideal' dates if I may say so, theoretical dates. Stocks of models were interchanged in practice and that gives a lot of confusion of course. But it's nice to hear some evidence 'from the field' to see in how far dates of first hand acquisitions or stamped dates in the boxes deviate from my dating. A model can be bought in the shop in 1958 whereas that was stock of 1955. And in the factory some old boxes must have been used for new models and the other way round. This might be the case with the 955 Dinky Toys box and the model with grey tyres. In fact it shows too much degradation of the hose reel and the reel is too light grey to be exactly as early as its box. And of course we know that nowadays unfortunately a lot of swapping and separate selling of boxes is being done. So the provenance, if traceable, is very important. Yours is a good example of a first owner model (and box).
50555 is the official box number and has nothing tot do with the month of May or the year 1955. It was on the earliest blue boxes already.
And yes, early models like yours should not show degradation of the left hose reel.

Kind regards, Jan

Richard's picture
Richard
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DTCA MemberFrance

Jan and Terry, very nice models that ......I will find some of these days.
Sorry Jan, I can't help !

Kind regards
Richard

Richard's picture
Richard
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DTCA MemberFrance

Dear jan.

8 month ago I wrote, one of these days ......
And now I have 6 exemplars ! :laugh: :laugh:
I was so jalous ! :woohoo: :woohoo:

Good night

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Well done Richard, congratulations! It took me some 30 years - that is, gradually improving by buying, selling, and swapping. At this moment the score is 11.
Kind regards, Jan

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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By the way, Richard, my latest addition was a version with a very unusual PLATED ladder. As Jacques H could tell me it is most probably Zinc-Nickel electro-plated, an obviously short-lived experiment in the second half of the 1960s:

Kind regards, Jan

starni999
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DTCA MemberUK

Love that picture box Jan, the work that went into these was amazing. Pretty hard to find too I reckon, I know the Castrol Bedford TK in this style box is very difficult.
Chris Warr.

Richard's picture
Richard
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DTCA MemberFrance

Jan,
Did you buy it on e-bay, few times ago ?
I think I saw the same and I was one of the biders !
Congratulations
Richard

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Hi Chris, yes the later picture boxes are a bit harder to find but not extremely difficult, they come by every now and then. The other picture is nice too, but smaller:

Hi Richard, no, I cannot have outbid you, because this was a regular buy, no auction. The special thing is that the ladder is plated, which is rare.
Here are both of them:

Kind regards, Jan

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

A gift by Jacques Dujardin added to the Fire Engine collection!

Herewith I proudly present a special new addition, the converted Fire Engine, now without extending ladder, a creation made by Jacques himself, as a promising youngster, bound to be a successful engineer no doubt. He handed it over to me during the DTCA AGM weekend, last weekend, very much to my surprise. I was really touched by this gift, such a very personal piece of his childhood collection.

And this picture shows that there is hardly any better home to be found for this wonderful little gem!

Regards, Jan

buzzer999's picture
buzzer999
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DTCA MemberUK

I saw this on Sunday and it is indeed a truly delightful, and realistic, model.

It is a Tower Wagon and they were used by local authorities who had tramways or trolley bus systems which picked their power up from overhead cabling.

The one shown above is a Karrier operated by Bradford City Transport who operated Trolley buses from 1911 to 1972, I remember these very well as I was born 9 miles from Bradford in Keighley.

Dave

starni999
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DTCA MemberUK

Great picture!
That is a very narrow wheelbase for a tower wagon, wouldn't want to go very high on that. Didn't Budgie make one of these?
Chris Warr.

dinkycollect's picture
dinkycollect
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DTCA MemberFrance

First hand info.

Jan's model was made from an original picture which I had obtained from the R.A.T.P. and which I probably still have somewhere in my junk.

In September 2007, I have photographed the real truck, certainly the last one to exist. It is build on a shortened 1916 Schneider type H bus chassis. At that time, the Museum of Urban Transports was housed in the ex Amiot aircraft factory in Colombes-la-Garenne now demolished and rebuild with blocks of flats.

Dinkinius's picture
Dinkinius
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AustraliaDTCA Member

Greetings all

Having been diverted momentarily with a model never made by Meccano (but cleverly made by Jacques) the plated ladder version is a less common example of the 955. The following are photographs of an example that once resided in my collection:

I wish to apologize for the size of these images. They were taken in April 2005 with an Olympus 3.5mp camera. The model has been moved on unfortunately, however before it left my company, I photographed it and the first 555 issue together. These formed part of a display I had at a display day with the Brisbane Die cast Collectors Club in 2004. Crikey - 10 years ago!!

Kind regards

Bruce

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Thanks Bruce. I wonder if you or anyone else has an idea or even evidence about the chronology?
So, was the plated ladder version the very last issue of 955 or just an intermediary 'experiment' in the later 1960?
Kind regards, Jan

Dinkinius's picture
Dinkinius
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AustraliaDTCA Member

Hello Jan

Unfortunately, back in 2004-5 when I photographed my 955 with the plated ladder, I did not bother much about the box. I could kick myself for not including the obvious - a detailed photograph of the box may have brought up an original price written on it somewhere.

With my sole remaining example of one of the last issues, here is a photograph of it that shows a price of 10/9 - a price that was applicable in April 1968 and it has a silver ladder, not plated. In May the price had increased to 10/11.

Hopefully, information will become available providing us with prices written on boxes containing examples of the plated ladder version. Once that is known, we will then know the year this version was issued! Perhaps the plated version was the final example issued in 1969, as the price jumped to 12/6, quite an increase from 10/11 - an increase larger than other larger models. Was this due to the nickle plating? Although comparing both models the one on this post and the other on the Post before last, the wear around the hose reel seems to be identical so one wonders when the greater wear around this area was issued, and logic would dictate it being the last issue. Again, we have to wait until someone can produce photographs showing original, authentic prices!

Kind regards

Bruce

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Thanks Bruce, for your information and suggestions.

My chronology issue is raised by the fact that - like yours - my plate ladder version (in the middle) has a matt black finished base plate. My example of the previous one in the yellow lid box also has the matt black base plate. My 'regular' latest version (on the right), however, has a shiny black base plate again. One might expect that black finished base plates would accur in one and the same 'time slot' and in that case the plate ladder version would be an 'incident' in between. But as we know things can have been mixed up in the factory already, during production. Jacques H explained to me that the plate finish process, was not more expensive than the silver painting, on the contrary.
By the way, there are no price stickers or notes present on my late end flaps box models.
Kind regards, Jan

Dinkinius's picture
Dinkinius
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AustraliaDTCA Member

Jan

Thanks for your Post - which states the obvious with Meccano - everything is possible as well as nothing is possible! Just to add confusion to the mixture, the following is a nickle plated version on the last style of lidded box that preceded the end flap box which unfortunately is not in my collection:

The price on the other end was 10/3, which was a 1967 price.

So perhaps the first of the end-flap boxes came out in 1968, which could indicate that nickle plated ladders were tried out during 1967-68 before reverting to the original silver/aluminium painted ladders until the model was finally retired. I really liked the pictures of all those great 955 Fire Engines of yours. One of my favourite models in the 1950s as well as now. I should post a photograph of my original model which shows the hard life it had fighting countless imaginary fires!

Incidentally, the last mention of the 955 was in the January 1969 Meccano price list, although the list was dated "5/68" the front of the price list has the print code of 72975 with "1969" in large numerals in the top right corner. Just to add a little usual Meccano confusion, the December 1968 Order Form does not include the 955 Fire Engine with Extending Ladder. Naturally, the model is not included in the July 1969 Order Form. However to muddy the waters a little, the 956 Turntable Fire Escape is NOT included in the December 1968 Order Form yet it miraculously appears in the July 1969 Order Form! Perhaps there may have been a gap between the deletion of the Bedford cab-chassis and the release of the French Berliet cab-chassis that makes its first official pictorial appearance in the May 1970 catalogue.

Kind regards

Bruce

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Bruce, thank you very much!!
This is evidence that adds to the possibility of an 'intermediary' experiment, which stretches over the transition from the lid box to the end flaps box in the middle of the sixtees, which coincides with the period that the matt black base plates were in use.
More evidence, supporting this idea (or the contrary) is very welcome!

By the way, Bruce, I imagine that you have kept records of the dates of control stamps inside the boxes and the prices current in various periods. Do you know the introduction dates of the yellow lid boxes and the end flaps boxes?

Kind regards, Jan

Dinkinius's picture
Dinkinius
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AustraliaDTCA Member

Hello Jan

I have just been cross-checking the Posts/Discussions I have made and on reaching the 555/955 I thought I could add something to our discussion that took place in January 2015!

I recently acquired a late issue 955 in a yellow lidded pictorial box, with the ordinary type of ladder (not nickel plated) (see picture below), and although the box lid does not have a Quality Inspection Stamp, the end of the box does have a price written on it of 8/11. This price was current from January 1964 to August 1965. The next price change occurred in January 1966 when the price increased to 9/11, so it is possible the price of 8/11 remained in force to the end of December 1965.

This then provides further clues with the production of the 555/955 Fire Engine, as this model has:plastic hubs, matte base plate, silver painted ladder, grey hoses side and rear, large additional casting below the side hoses (the ends of the reel on the left side are filled in, and bright silver rear details (brighter than the ladder.

The images are from the auction house as I have been unable to photograph the model myself! Hopefully I will replace these images with my own - one of these days!

Kind regards

Bruce    (150)

10 February 2016

#762

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Thanks very much, Bruce, for sharing these data. This does not contradict (yet) my provisional dating of 1964-1966 of equal models in this kind of box.

Congratulation with this wonderful and remarkable addition! I have never seen an example of 955 with the transfers of the 259 (Miles Bedford) Fire Engine (?). Were they available separately too or could they have been factory applied some time? Interesting!

Kind regards, Jan 

 

buzzer999's picture
buzzer999
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DTCA MemberUK

Here is the front cover of an original leaflet for the Commer QX fire engine.

It looks to be fighting a mill fire.

Dave

Dinkinius's picture
Dinkinius
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AustraliaDTCA Member

janwerner wrote:
"Bruce, thank you very much!!
This is evidence that adds to the possibility of an 'intermediary' experiment, which stretches over the transition from the lid box to the end flaps box in the middle of the sixtees, which coincides with the period that the matt black base plates were in use.
More evidence, supporting this idea (or the contrary) is very welcome!

By the way, Bruce, I imagine that you have kept records of the dates of control stamps inside the boxes and the prices current in various periods. Do you know the introduction dates of the yellow lid boxes and the end flaps boxes?

Kind regards, Jan"

Hello Jan

I am not certain whether you posted the above after I had finished typing up my post or while I was busy adding and editing!

From about 1963, the practice of checking each model before it was placed inside its box and then stamping the inside of the lid appears to have ended. Meccano during the early 1960s was going through crisis after crisis, and there may very well have been a slow reduction in staffing levels. Quality checking of what was primarily a toy may have been one of those tasks deemed unnecessary which would release some staff from the pay-sheets. I have however found one stamp, maybe two on the inside of the last type of lidded box with the yellow base, identical to the 955 shown immediately above, but the general rule has been these boxes normally do not have a quality control stamp. (Perhaps there may be others out there!!)

These are the sales numbers and dates of the later yellow lidded pictorial box from my records:

437 Muir-Hill 2WL Loader, FP 563 (July 1963) eBay auction
935 Leyland Octopus Chain Lorry handwritten notation on the lid, "purchased September 1964", Vectis September 1997, Lot 942
908 Mighty Antar with Transformer, 962 Vv (September 1962), owner A Harvey

Of course all the above were only packaged initially in this style of box, so one can assume that the last style of lidded box was first introduced in September 1961 with the Foden Dump Truck with Bulldozer Blade. Then as the blue-striped boxes were phased out, those models that started life with this type of box were then progressively given the new lidded box type, although there were exceptions with several models that continued with the blue-striped box until well after the introduction of the yellow and red pictorial lidded box.

As for the 955, it would appear that the yellow and red pictorial lidded box with yellow papered base was introduced in 1966, based on a photograph I have on file of a model and its box with the price of 10/1 written on the end. The July 1966 Meccano price list is the only one with this price for the 955.

As far as possible, my quality checking stamp data includes the original price written on each box if such exists, in addition to anything else that may be of some use. For instance I have seen a Supertoy with Christmas greetings written on the front and with the year, so this is important.

I will be starting a new Thread on this aspect, but until then, I would be grateful if Jacques could leave these posts "as is" for continuity sake even after the Thread has been established.

Kind regards

Bruce

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Thanks again! Jan

Dinkinius's picture
Dinkinius
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AustraliaDTCA Member

You're welcome, Jan.

I thought it was about time we saw the "real McCoy" on these pages. The following images shows the first version of the Commer Carmichael Fire Tender and then its upgraded model.

Always one of my favourite Dinky Toys - so much so, that my 555 completely wore out its front axle as evidenced by the photograph below, enlarged from a slide I took in about 1956 with my father's then new Voigtlander Vito B 35mm camera. Dad subsequently repaired the front end and in due course I will add a photograph of it as it appears today.

Kind regards

Bruce

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dinkycollect
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DTCA MemberFrance

Thanks Bruce for showing us this Fire engine. There are not so many pictures available.

This fire engine could do with some restoration. Any idea of where it is ?

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Dinkinius
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AustraliaDTCA Member

Jacques

The vehicle was sold through eBay or some other auction, for £5,000.00 believe it or not!! Not only are Dinky Commer "Fire Engine with Extending Ladder" sold through this medium but the real McCoy as well. The Commer was also advertised privately.
DESCRIPTION OF ITEM
VINTAGE COMMER FIRE ENGINE.
PURCHASED/REMOVED FROM THE PREMISES OF A WELL KNOWN VEHICLE BREAKERS DUE TO IVA.
DRY STORED FOR THE LAST 25+ YEARS.
YEAR OF MANUFACTURE - 1949 - 1951?
ALL LOOKS TO BE IN WELL PRESERVED ORIGINAL CONDITION.
PROVED TO BE A REAL HEAD TURNED ON THE JOURNEY BACK TO YORKSHIRE!
THE PHOTOGRAPHS WERE TAKEN DURING A STOP AT LYMM SERVICES ON THE M6!
THE ENGINE HAS BEEN TURNED OVER AND STARTED BUT WILL NEED NEW PLUGS/POINTS AND FRESH FUEL.
COOLANT SYSTEM HAS ACTIVE ANTI-FREEZE PRESENT.
ALL TYRES ARE IN NEAR UN-USED CONDITION.
2 SPARE TYRES IN VEHICLE.
ALL ELECTRICS WORKING - INCLUDING BLUES & TWO'S.
CHROME BELL AND HAND OPERATOR STILL PRESENT.
STEERING WHEEL COVERING HAS PERISHED. BUT THERE IS A SPARE ONE IN THE VEHICLE!
LESS THAN 2. 00 MILES ON THE CLOCK!
ALL THE CHASSIS IS IN CRACKING CONDITION.
LOOKS LIKE MOST OF THE FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT IS STILL PRESENT & CORRECT. INCLUDING THE 35FT "AJAX" LADDER.
THE BODYWORK IS DIRTY BUT IN EXEPTIONAL CONDITION FOR THE AGE.
THE COLOUR IS STILL FRESH AND BRIGHT UNDER THE FILM OF DIRT!
SOME VERY LIGHT SURFACE RUSTING!
DRIVERSIDE PASSENGER DOOR WINDOW PANEL IS CRACKED.
THIS VEHICLE HAS NO CURRENT V5.
THE VEHICLE IS READY FOR A SYMPATHETIC RESTORATION.

I think it was located in Bradford, North Yorkshire although that was in March 2014.

Anyway, here is another Commer, this time still in service:

Kind regards
Bruce

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Townie54
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DTCA Member

When I was young I didn't have the Dinky Commer, but an identical red plastic one with grey ladder, red wheels and black tyres. I don't know who the manufacturer was; any ideas?

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Dinkinius
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Greetings all

On 21 January 2015, I posted a number of images including one showing my 955 Fire Engine sitting on its nose with the loss of its front axle and wheels.

Here it is again:

and here are a series of images showing the repair that was carried out by my father to keep the 955 on the active list! One can also see authentic dust from the 1950s too!! :laugh: :laugh:

The replacement axle is on the left. The difference in the size of the replacement axle can be seen with comparing the original rear axle on the right. It is not what one would call a very professional job, based on today's restorers, but to my mind it is a repair that is very, very special.

Thank you very much Dad for doing this repair for your son! Your time and effort has been much appreciated and is a constant reminder of what a great Dad you were. Thank you.

Kind regards

Bruce (150)
#612
8 June 2015

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