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Dinkinius's picture
Dinkinius
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DINKY NEWS - Snippets and Other Oddities

Some of you may be familiar with DINKY NEWS the quarterly newsletter I published and distributed to Dinky Toys enthusiasts between 1998 and 2002. For the benefit of those readers who are not familiar, I decided to produce this newsletter in the absence of any other periodical providing an in-depth discussion of these toys. At that time there was no Dinky Toys Collectors Association, but an active club in the United States and another in France, Club Dinky France. There was however another small club in the United Kingdom, whose newsletters was limited to sales and wants. I think the latter club passed on in the late 1990s. The USA club appears to have gone the same way, not long after they tried to register a domain name on the Internet when the attorneys representing Mattel objected to the use of the word Dinky. Club Dinky France I think is still operating.

While reading through some of my copies of DINKY NEWS, I thought it would not be a bad idea to share some of the pages from the newsletter within this website for those who have never seen it.  I decided to commence with a column I called SNIPPETS AND OTHER ODDITIES. While reading through these it will become apparent that much of what I discussed back in 1998 has been discussed elsewhere in the DTCA Forum, but hopefully, there may be something quite new “and exciting”!

I begin with the first issue published in June 1998.

The first item concerned the 965 Euclid Rear Dump Truck. This was discussed in the Topic for this model. The next item concerned the 148 Ford Fairlane. I received a comment from a collector in this country who is also a Ford Australia expert. I will include his response later. The next item concerned the little Bedford cab-chassis used for the lorry, dump truck and garbage truck as well as the prime-mover for the car transporter. Who would believe there are at least 18 changes to the die for this casting excluding the numerous changes with the base plate.

I then raised a query as to when a list of models received their glazing, then came the little 155 Ford Anglia with its different boot/trunk, the next item covered the date when Meccano Magazine was actually published, and I think the answer is in the Forum. The penultimate item concerned the deletion of the 622 10-Ton Army Wagon.  Quite a mixed bag.

One must bear in mind, that when I produced the newsletter, information on Dinky Toys was extremely limited. My reference material was very sparse and enthusiasts with adequate knowledge far and few between. So these pages must be read with this in mind!

Hopefully, this may generate some comments, copies of which could be also posted in the appropriate topic. If you have trouble reading the pages, hold down the control (Ctrl) key and roll the wheel on your mouse.

Bruce   (150)

20160422/907/1539

dinkyfan's picture
dinkyfan
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DTCA MemberUSA

Bruce-----It is late and we just got home, so too late to read this tonight, but I did want to comment that I well remember your Dinky News, and particularly the Snippets and other Oddities section......it was always both fun and interesting reading, so I welcome you re-posting them here. By the way, I still have all my copies and thoroughly enjoyed your efforts so many years ago.
Best regards, Terry

Dinkinius's picture
Dinkinius
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Thank you very much Terry for your kind words.  I am quite honored that you still have all your copies although as I read through mine, I often shudder with the extraordinarily naive comments I made at the time!  For instance, I wrote a lengthy item on the 25x/430 Breakdown Lorry and am embarrassed when I wrote how I wondered why Meccano did not use the casting for other models! Hello there Oigle - what about the 424!!  Still life for collectors then was so much different than today, with the Internet making collecting and researching far more simpler.  In fact I can trace the demise of DINKY NEWS to when we went on The Net and I spent hours and hours on eBay!  It appears I never had any time for the newsletter!

The next installment of Oddities etc will be in June.

Warmest regards

Bruce   (150)

20160423/911/1237

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janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

This is a very nice, interesting and much appreciated initiative of yours, Bruce. I have often heard and read about your Dinky News, but never seen any issue. I am looking forward to unexpected new facts, figures and stories about Dinky Toys! Thanks and kind regards, Jan 

dinkyfan's picture
dinkyfan
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DTCA MemberUSA

Bruce---I just had a chance to re-read that Snippets and Oddities article, and to me, it is amazing just what insight you and others did have so long ago, before a lot more became known about Dinky's.  I well remember my own moment, when only about 13, I realized that the two French Dinky Citroen 11BL's that I owned were slightly different.  One had a smooth inside ceiling, with only a large cross diecast on the roof, while my other, newer one, had the "checkered ceiling".  A few years later, I noticed a few more French models with that checkered ceiling, while none of my English versions used it.  For many years I was puzzled as to why that was used, but at that point I was already starting to look for that and other differences.

                Best regards,  Terry

Dinkinius's picture
Dinkinius
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AustraliaDTCA Member

In my first Post, I wrote an introduction to the pages containing "Snippets and other Oddities", mentioning the small item on the 148 Ford Fairlane, "The next item concerned the 148 Ford Fairlane. I received a comment from a collector in this country who is also a Ford Australia expert. I will include his response later."  I am including this response below and I am sure those collectors who specialise in American motor cars modelled by Meccano will find interesting, even after the passage of almost 18 years.

The following is a brief summary of the second serving of "Snippets and Other Oddities" in the 2nd issue of DINKY NEWS, published in September 1998:

957 Fire Services Gift Set and asked for details as to when the 257 Fire Chief's Car was introduced.

582 Pullmore Car Transporter and the change-over from 6 rivets to 4 rivets on the trailer.

934 Leyland Octopus Wagon in blue and yellow, hubs and introduction date.

138 Hillman Minx in metallic red and its box type.

Box repairs

Introduction date for the 966 Multi-Bucket Unit.

I hope readers will continue to enjoy these ramblings of many years ago, some of which may have already been corrected by other researchers over the intervening years.

Incidentally, the September 1998 issue also had an in-depth discussion on the 1st Series Foden Trucks issued in October 1947 within the serialised “Production of Dinky Toys Since 1946”, including their box types and various colour schemes and when these were issued to aid collectors to become aware of models that are being offered in an incorrect style of box. If interest is shown I will include a copy of these pages in an appropriate topic later. 

Kind regards

Bruce   (150)

20160613/941/0133