I don't have one of these so can't add any additional information, however, it is a stunning looking model.

I am slowly starting to collect some French Dinky commercials and they are new to me as I never saw them as a child.

Dave

Hi Jan. It is a real shame that absolutely no-one else other than you and I ever uses this Forum!! Dave

Dear Jan.
I am affraid that the Willème carries only 6 trees as you can see it on the photo on the box. My original one has 6 trees and the other one carries the "trees" from my garden !!! I suppose that you know about the other differences between the two items : front wheels, girder with holes or just marked..
I try to send you a photo.
Kind regards
Richard

Here, a new try !

My old one is on the left with the girder full of holes and the convex hubs.
The Willème on the right is a recently buyed item and it has lost its trunks ! so, I went to my garden !! :laugh:

Friendly yours

Any news about the real Willeme? I'm looking for engine capacity and year of production. Thanks, Gianni

Hi Gianni.

Here informations from the french Meccano Magazine n°34 of july 1956

Ciao

Wow, What a shot! Thanks a lot and greetings from Rome!

buzzer999 wrote:
"Hi Jan. It is a real shame that absolutely no-one else other than you and I ever uses this Forum!! Dave"

Few more of us now Dave, few more.
Wish we had more though, we are still a small percentage of DTCA members here,
Chris Warr.

Chris--I sure agree, and wish that the club would query the membership and ask why more don't choose to either post or even comment on most of the topics brought up. To me, it appears that maybe 1/2 dozen or so of us are all that consistently use the site. I must say I was really looking forward to much more discussion than what we get. I wonder if the age demographics are such that many just don't use computers that much? Maybe the editors of the Journal can discuss this sometime in the future.......
Terry

The membership of the DTCA is around 330 and is slowly growing so it is extremely disappointing that so few members are active on this forum.

However, it is absolutely disgraceful that not one member of the DTCA committee ever contributes at all to this vital communication tool, a lack of support and commitment by the DTCA committee was the reason why I stood down as the Editor of The Journal after four years at the helm and why I resigned from the committee.

There was a time when Jan and I were virtually the only people using the forum, over the last 12 months it has been very heartening to see more people active in the discussions.

I raise this issue every year at the DTCA AGM and I will do so once again in June this year.

Sadly, I fear that what I will have to say will once again fall upon deaf ears.

Please keep up the good work in raising interesting and lively topics but most of all keep using the forum, there is a core of us who will make this successful despite the total apathy of the DTCA committee.

Dave

Dave
Dinky Toys have been an important part of my life for almost 65 years, since I was about 5 years old. I have never lost my love or enthusiasm for them, and am just grateful that at least a few of us can share our hobby. Prior to joining the Club, I virtually had no one to share with,and have always felt so far away and disconnected being in California. But that aside, the potential to have our club be so much more involved is both huge and disheartening that it is not. I for one thank both you and Jan for being so active and encouraging the rest of us. When I first joined, I had little appreciation for all that you did; in retrospect, you really did a very good job during your term, and know that you had to feel somewhat unappreciated and little supported. Hopefully we can somehow encourage some others to join our discussions!
Terry

Good speech Jan !
I also have the language problem ! always a dictionary beside me ! It's a good exercise to prepare the june meeting !

Richard

That is exactly what I have been doing Jan.

The DTCA committee are supposed to be the guardians of the association, that they all totally ignore the website is, I think, unforgivable.

As you say we will soldier on.

janwerner wrote:
"Hi all, this Tracteur Willème avec semi-remorque fardier, which is in extremely nice condition and apparently not played-with, carries eight tree-trunks instead of the habitual six. All seem to be of the same age and quality, but a few are a bit thinner than the others. Could someone shed some light on this? Are variations like this (and 'most probably' original) observed by others too?

Kind regards, Jan"

Well Jan,

I have had another look at mine and found it was carrying five "logs" with one log having done a bunk! Judging on the comments from Richard, all I have to do is go out into our garden and lob off another of similar size and length!

I am now wondering how the model passed Australia's strict quarantine regulations all those years ago!

But it is a very nice model and quite unique too, as Liverpool never came up with a competitor!

Kind regards

Bruce
PS
Does anyone know what bush/tree these "logs" are originally from? I have visions of one of Meccano's employees being tasked with the responsibility to prune bushes between his home and work when needed for the 36A!

After reading the above posts, I decided I better look at my Log truck to see just how many logs it came with. I bought mine new around 1959, directly from H.Hudson Dobson, and it has remained in my possession ever since, and I know that I have not lost any. As the pictures show, it has 5 logs. I am thinking that maybe the workers just grabbed 5 or 6 and saw how they fit, depending on size, so likely not an exact number used each time. I would think that they already screened the available logs for size, eliminating those too small or too large.
My box is numbered 36a, but the end is hand stamped with the new number, assigned in 1959. This has always been one of my favorite models, and was likely one of the first to feature dual real wheels.
Terry

Willème variation 3 with six logs.

Is'nt that Willeme truck beautiful ?

I agree that the amount of logs was not set. If the logs were small, they would put one or two more.

The supplier of the logs is not known. What type of company can supply that type of good ?

Willème with more than five logs.

Jacques--Yes the Willeme truck is beautiful....I like it a lot more than the Unic, especially when compared to the pipe truck, with that ugly, white rack on top of the cab. The Willeme just has nice, flowing lines to it. Thanks for the real photo also....I had not seen that before!
Terry

Hi guys!

Since I joined DTCA I've worked my way slowly through the posts on a number of the forums and have arrived here. I've noted your comments and understand your previous frustration at a lack of response from other members. I can only speak for myself but as a very inexperienced (but older) collector who collects well-used but affordable models I find myself somewhat in awe of those of you who have been collecting for many years - lifetimes indeed - and are undoubtedly experts. 

I'm not sure that any comment I could make would be very informative but I hope that a small contribution to this thread will serve to assure you that those of us who only read and wonder at your knowledge really enjoy what you post. In this instance I will offer a little something regarding the question of the type of wood that Meccano used on these Fardiers. I believe that it is Hazel (Corylus avellana), a very common tree throughout Europe, which when coppiced as it often is, grows long, straight, and attractive sticks. Most of the UK members will have cut a 'Nutstick' when walking through a wood. I'm not certain about this but I doubt that it is anything else.

I've already discovered French Dinkys and will eventually get round to posting photos. So far my favourites are the 32d Delahaye Fire truck and the 60c Super G Constellation. One of these days I'll find myself a Willeme and have a good look at the load.

Regards

John

John---Thanks so much for bravely jumping in here! Please know that all of us who frequent these wonderful pages, welcome any and all Dinky collectors, regardless of their level or years of experience. What is nice here is to share experiences, photos, comments, or just ask questions. To me, at least, it is very sad to have many "lurkers" who do not post anything. This site is one of very few means we have as Dinky collectors to further our hobby, so actively supporting it is critical to its ongoing success. I would beg you or any others to please join in.....we all had to start somewhere. As you have seen, there is a wealth of knowledge and many resources here, so most questions can be dealt with by many of us. In the meantime, feel free to tell us more about yourself and your collecting interests, and we welcome photographs! And thanks for clarifying that Hazel was likely the type of wood used for those logs.....we learned something new today.
Best regards, Terry

Thanks for that Terry. I can't tell you how much I look forward to uploading photos. I went out and spent too much money on a camera that I'm not capable of using properly. :(  Add to that my inability to upload photos from my tablet and that my desktop is in pieces and I'm stymied.

As I'm on a fixed income these days I tend towards played-with models that are either just about good enough for display or bad enough to warrant full restoration. I won't witter on about this here as it's the wrong place but 1930 - 1960 is my favourite period and 25 trucks and 29c/290 buses are most represented in my collection with a good smattering of 23 racers.

More as and when

John