Hello Terry

I am not certain what went wrong with this Topic, as there are now 8 SEPARATE topics for the “581 and 980 Maudslay Horsebox ' Express Horse Van' (1953-60), U.S. version”, each originally forming part of just one Topic in the old website!  I was wondering how we can bring all these "under one roof" to make it easier for members and guests to read the story in a coherant fashion.

I have now located an email I sent to Dave Kaun exactly a year ago about all these different Topics that were all contained in the one Topic with the old website. This is what I wrote and Dave’s reply.

Feb 5, 2016, at 3:05 AM

Greetings Dave

As per my recent Post on the above topic(s), the following are the Posts made by the five of us that were in response to Terry’s Post on his model in chronological order. As mentioned in my discussion, all these were not separate Posts/Topics but a continuous discussion.

Kind regards

Bruce

Sun 7/02/2016 3:39 AM

Hello Bruce,

I’m not sure I can do anything about this.

I could create a “topic” and post all this information and pictures but it would all show up as me being the contributor.

You could also do this but all the posts would show up as you being the contributor(poster).

Regards,

David F. Kaun

With the task being difficult for the Administrator to process, I have decided to see what I can do!

So, what I have done is copied each Post and their photographs, and pasted them to form a continuous posting, each with their own identifier date and picture, and then added the entire process into a single Post, still retaining the identity of each author.  I am not sure how this will work until I have completed this process!

In regard to your box being labelled as a DINKY TOYS with an inspection date stamp of June 1956, although the use of the trade mark DINKY SUPERTOYS was very much in vogue during this period with the Fodens, Pullmores, Antars, etc, the 981 Horse Box was a DINKY TOYS until October 1956. The following month the model was finally given its title on its boxes as a DINKY SUPERTOYS. A classic example of the confusion in the factory at this time between TOYS and SUPERTOYS is best illustrated with the first box used for the 660 Tank Transporter in May 1956, an all yellow lidded box with a dark blue base, inscribed DINKY TOYS, and then across the top left corner is DINKY SUPERTOYS in white lettering on a red background. The first Tank Transporters had DINKY TOYS inscribed under the trailer but the die was altered to read DINKY SUPERTOYS the same month the model was launched. The models inscribed DINKY TOYS, are now one of the most unrecognised, under-valued, smallest production versions of the Transporter.

Incidentally, the inclusion of the distributor’s details on the side panel, as part of the printing process for the box’s outer wrapping is the first I have seen which is further proof that the model was intended only for the US market.  I wonder if other normal issues were given an identical process to avail of the printing block that had been commissioned for the 980.

I hope what I have done now will assist readers to follow the various Posts on this subject. If it turns out OK, perhaps Dave K. can then delete the separate posts.

Kind regards

Bruce H.

20170229/1053

 

Wed, 06/16/2010 - 02:34                                                                                                  #1

goldenp

-581 and 980 Maudeslay Horsebox ' Express Horse Van' (1953-60) US Edition

At the MSMC meeting I saw this very rare box (with Van) for sale.

Two things make this US version box even more rare than they already are:

1. It has a yellow H Hudson Dobson Label (I have one with a green label see the Article on the Horse Boxes in the Dinky Articles).

2. The label at the end has been overstamped with the revised number 980, this has been observed on the 47 Traffic Signs and the Military Figures. Presumably done at Hudson Dobsons.

 

Wed, 09/03/2014 - 05:09                                                                                                                      #2

dinkyfan

-581 and 980 Maudslay Horsebox ' Express Horse Van' (1953-60), U.S. version.

Some of you expressed interest in my Dinky Supertoys Horsebox #980, so I decided to take some new photos of it, which are shown below. After a little research, I found that it was originally introduced as #581, in April of 1953, a number which it shared with its British version, which was in the livery of the British Railways. Apparently the folks at Binns Road conceded that the U.S. collectors would prefer something they could relate to, which also meant calling it a "horse van" instead of a "horse box". In 1955, when Meccano changed their numbering system, both versions were re-numbered: the U.S. version became #980, while the English version became #981. They were both also elevated to Supertoys status.

It is interesting to look at the U.S. catalogs, which H. Hudson Dobson distributed, as they never show the U.S. version, with its different lettering, but they do refer to it as #980 Horse Van. This ended with the 1959 catalogue only showing #981 labelled as a Horse Box, so it appears that the U.S. version was discontinued by then, and the English version soldiered on until 1961.

It is also interesting to look at my box. The date stamp inside the lid shows June 1956, but the box does not indicate Supertoys....only Dinky Toys. My model, which came in that box, does show Supertoys on the base. Another interesting titbit on my box is that one side clearly has H. Hudson Dobson printed on the yellow oval area. All of my other Dinky's of that era, in the blue stripe box, have a yellow label affixed with the H. Hudson Dobson info. I am guessing this is because this particular box was only intended for the U.S. market, so Meccano could print it that way up front without resorting to applying a label or sticker.

This model was bought new by me around 1959, and is still in excellent condition considering I have had it almost 55 years. I am also showing the packing inserts that came with it. I have always been very fond of this model...the size, color, opening doors with ramps, all combined to make it very desirable for a 14 year old boy back in the day!

Terry

this shows the H.Hudson Dobson info printed on the box 

this shows the 2 packing inserts

this shows it safely nestled in its box with the 2 inserts in place

 

Wed, 09/03/2014 - 05:25                                                                                                   #3

hoort

-581 and 980 Maudeslay Horsebox ' Express Horse Van' (1953-60), U.S. version.

Lovely model and box Terry! And with the often missing packing pieces. Amazing that you already have it for 55 years. Buying from new and still having it and loving it: this does not come much better.

Kind regards,

Rob

Wed, 09/03/2014 - 08:23                                                                                                    #4 

dinkycollect

-581 and 980 Maudeslay Horsebox ' Express Horse Van' (1953-60), U.S. version. 

Your Horse van is a beauty.

It was advertised in the 1952 U.S. catalogue but with a mistake. The word "EXPRESS" above the windscreen is correct but the side shows "EXPRESS HORSE BOX" instead of "EXPRESS HORSE VAN".

The factory drawing 13 500 A shows the position of the transfer and stereos for this american issue. There is only one transfer, it is the "EXPRESS" above the wind screen. All other markings are by tampoo.

Stereo probably means rubber stamp in Meccano language.

The 980 can be fitted with either red or maroon hubs of the same colour as the body.

I have not yet seen a box blue or striped printed with Dinky Supertoys. The boxes for the 981 British Rail and 979 Newmarket was printed with Supertoys. Was the marque SUPERTOYS registered in the States ?

 

Wed, 09/03/2014 - 12:56                                                                                                   #5 

Dinkinius

-581 and 980 Maudeslay Horsebox ' Express Horse Van' (1953-60), U.S. version.

Terry

First of all, I cannot believe that you have had this model all these years in showroom condition!! Did you ever "play" with it? Or was it a case of take it out of its box, look at it carefully with a great deal of childhood love, and then carefully return it to its box?? I find it quite unbelievable and at the same time, very refreshing!

Jacques, as for "stereo", I think Meccano used this terminology, not in relation to rubber stamping, but in the context of "two", one on either side of the model. At about this time, stereo sound in amplification was becoming the "in" thing, although the technology dates back to the 1930s, it was not until the mid 1950s when the system became commercially viable in recording production. To achieve "stereo" sound in a home system' two or more independent audio channels were used with a modified stylus, together with two or more speakers. So I think the draughtsmen in Meccano used the terminology to describe two when the operation is repeated on the other side. What does the drawing actually state?

I have just checked my drawings for the 965 and it is interesting to see the note state:

"EUCLID TRANSFER RIGHT HAND STEREO AND NOTES ADDED 3.1.55"

No mention is made of LEFT HAND STEREO. As the drawing shows the left side of the truck which seems to indicate that the use of the word "stereo" is intended to mean the Euclid transfer is the same on the other side.

Bruce

 

Wed, 09/03/2014 - 15:27                                                                                                     #6 

dinkyfan

-581 and 980 Maudeslay Horsebox ' Express Horse Van' (1953-60), U.S. version.

Thank you all for the very nice comments on the Horse Van. When I bought it, it for sure was the pride and joy of my collection for some time. Bruce, to answer your question as to why I was able to keep it so nice......yes, by the time I was 13 or 14, I had already acquired the sense of being very careful with all of my things, and did not like scratched up or badly used toys, or anything else for that matter. So yes, by that time I pretty much quit playing with most of them, except the race cars, which did see some rough racing down our driveway. What is really amazing to me is that I still have all of my childhood Dinky catalogs, from 1953 through 1959 when my first phase of collecting came to and end. The 1953 catalog is not in good shape, but all still there, including the separate price sheet. Since I was only 8 when I got it, that is miraculous! I also saved all of my written correspondence with H.Hudson Dobson from 1957 through 1960 or so...........I also still have almost all of the Dinky's that I received since about 1951; a very few have been restored, most of the rest are in very good to excellent condition, with many boxes still present.

Terry

 

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 04:54                                                                                                      #7 

janwerner

-581 and 980 Maudeslay Horsebox ' Express Horse Van' (1953-60), U.S. version.

Perhaps this is a good opportunity to remind you all of the nice article that the late Peter Golden put on this website regarding the Dinky horse boxes:

http://dtcawebsite.org/dinkyarticles/36-large-commercials/112-horseboxes (link is external)

... and of course perhaps some other intesting articles etc. over there!

Kind regards, Jan

 

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 05:31                                                                                                #8

dinkyfan

-581 and 980 Maudeslay Horsebox ' Express Horse Van' (1953-60), U.S. version.

Jan
Thanks for pointing that out. I just read it, and a very good, detailed write up it is. I need to remind myself that there are many other interesting articles besides what we post on the forum!

Terry

 

Wed, 01/18/2017 - 17:11                                                                                                   #9

dinkyfan

Re : -581 and 980 Horse Van ' Express Horse Van' (1953-60), U.S. version.

Something happened to my original post and photos of my US version of the Horse Van, so I will re-post them now,  I bought this one new from H. Hudson Dobson around 1959.

Best regards,   Terry

 

To save space, the photographs to which Terry refers are at the beginning of this "reincarnation". 

 

Thank you Jan for your most welcome and appreciated comments. Yes it is nice to be back. I have a few more Posts that have been "sitting in the cupboard" and in need of being brought out into the open!

I forgot to mention in my last Post to Terry that this was also a labour of "love" as i was always frustrated with having to open a new tab for each topic on this model, as Terry's splendid example deserved far better!  I had been thinking of doing this for some time, until by sheer chance, I discovered the email I had sent to Dave K a year ago, and found that I had already copy and pasted each entry!  That was also then when I discovered that I seem to be forgetting things lately!  The onset of the big A??

Kind regards

Bruce H.   (150)

20170302/1060/2354