Hi Jon, I discovered the Meccano Business Archive in 2001, and found very interesting material there. However, many of such business archives are still underdisclosed, and accessible on a collection level only on the internet. I know this from my own professional practice. The Meccano Archives are now housed in a much better building than 20 years ago and more and more documents are moved to the Museum building. Subsequently online access will increase. Now one has to work with the analogue lists and indexes available on location. But a persevering researcher has no problems with that ... and surprising discoveries may show up!
Well done Jan, let’s bring them all together again.
And also thanks, Kas, Terry, for your comments. From the very moment I acquired these documents (because I had a special interest in the never made Bedford Articulated Streamlined Petrol Tanker and the lists) I was convinced that this unique source material should not be private property but public property. Kind regards, Jan
Bravo, Jan!
That is true 'mass collecting', Jonathan!
Congratulations with that nice batch of new arrivals.
No doubt you will find some new parking space, try all corners in the house!
The French ones in particular are nice. I am still trying to find a fine and affordable 25u Ford camion citerne 'Esso', but it's not easy.
Kind regards, Jan
Johnny
You do not do things by half ! What an arrival. Congratulations.
I would be happy to add the Plymouth Police and Plymouth cab to the Encyclopaedia. Are they colour samples or mock-ups ? Is the Bedford van finished in as John Gay ?
All the best.
Jacques
Jan -- The 25u Esso tanker I added is actually in not very good condition, though especially since the decals are OK, it is what I consider displayable. I never had one before, and as you say, it does not seem easy to find.
Jacques -- Actually you are ahead of me here ... you already have pictures of the Plymouth Police and Taxi mockups in the Encyclopedia, and I am sure they are images of these two that I now own. The models are unique mockups of proposed color schemes, and were originally purchased from a Vectis auction of the Doug McHard collection.
The Bedford Van is a John Gay model finished in his own livery.
Jon--That looks very nice......when was that one made? I don't remember seeing one like it before.
Terry
Terry -- this is the 288 Superior Cadillac Ambulance that was made right up to the end, but in the Danish export version for the Falck company. It also comes with a red body, and I have had that version for a while.
This is an elegant car, but personally I am in no hurry to repose in the back of a black Cadillac!
Interesting new models, Jonathan, in particular the ones from Calcutta.This is what happens when someone else makes a Dinky!
Some modest but nice recent additions of mine below. The Streamlined Fire Engine is my sixth variant, the final one with the whole rectangle at the rear painted in silver - in stead of the more precise details on the previous issues. Two additions for my 1:1200/1:1250 ship models collection. The Tri-ang Shell tanker Varicella was the last omission of the regular series. It's a poor model. Very cheap and in perfect condition, so I bought it anyway. The other is a Wiking 1:1250 model of a Dutch Freighter M.S. Klipfontein (1939-1953).
Underneath is the sales brochure of the German branch of Coles. Mark Simiele wrote about it in the July issue of The Journal. I found it on the website of a German old books shop. In perfect condition it is also for me a nice complement to my German promotional of the Coles 20-Ton Lorry Mounted Crane. Kind regards, Jan
It's almost 10 days ago since the last contribution to the Forum! Anyway, here is one of mine then, showing my acquisitions of November. First of all, on arrival I was happy to see that my annual Dinky Toys calendar for 2023 turned out quite well. Always a surprise what the printed result of my digital efforts looks like. Furthermore, I was able to find two slightly unusual Petrol Tank Wagons, no. 25d. The early post-war example with smooth hubs has the 'PETROL' capitals unusually stamped in white. The other, slightly later model is completely missing the word, because it was intended for export to the USA. The Muir-Hill Dumper Truck is my number five, but I didn't have this lighter yellow version yet. The Scout Car is the very first version that did not yet have a driver. Those early illustrated boxes also did not have the number (673) on the sides and the picture does not yet show the driver's head. My Land-Rover Trailer was unboxed up to now. This has been rectified at last. The white ship of the Tri-ang Minic Ships series is the French 'Antilles'. Bought for next to nothing because all masts were missing, but the model is pristine, as is the box. My less beautiful previous example did have them all, so a transplant was quickly carried out. Sorry for this strange duck in the bite, I just love diecast ship models on the scale 1:1200 / 1:1250, as you may know! I hope to add some more details and pictures in the respective threads soon. Kind regards, Jan
Jan -- I see that the cover of your calendar prominently advertises a U.S. distributor ... presumably those of us in the States will be able to get copies easily, then?
:)
Jon
Hi Jon, you may have a try. But I'm not sure he's still living there!
Jan,
Congrats on finiding the German Coles crane brochure. I know I was elated to find mine as you must have been too and it really does compliment our models.
I wonder what other old goodies are in that German book store?
Take Care,
Mark
Hello Mark, yes, I am very happy with it - and I wouldn't have known of its existence without the contents of your recent article!
Now it would be nice to find the 1962 pamphlet that came with the 972 promotional.
I found the 'Wir bauen für Sie' leaflet via this German search tool: https://www.zvab.com/
So you may have a try!
By the way, my Guy lorries collection keeps growing, since I found this early colour example recently. I love this older brick red, which is also found on the early Foden Diesel 8-Wheel Lorries. Kind regards, Jan
Hi Jan,
I have never seen the Guy in the Foden brick red. A nice find and I'm sure this new addition will enjoy its new home with plenty of company and not be lonely!
I will check out the German book store link too and thank you for sharing.
Take Care.
Mark
I have been following the discussion about using the website with interest so thought I would make this post about my small collection of pre and post-war 22 & 30 trucks/lorries. I realize that military vehicles are not the most popular area of collecting, but this is my particular area of interest.
The 22s- Searchlight lorry- was produced for only a short period (1939-1941) and did not appear after the war.. Unfortunately my example has some damage to the area where it swivels on its vertical axis but they are extremely hard to find so I am pleased to have this one.
The 22s Motor truck - was produced from 1935 to 1941 and then again from 1946 to 1950. I do not have a post-war example.
The 30e - Breakdown Car (why it was called a "Car" I don't understand!) was produced from 1935 to 1941 and again after the war from 1946 to 1948.
The 3 pre-war vehicles have an open cab rear window which was subsequently filled in for the post-war versions.
Chris
Chris---Nice to see this nice collection of vehicles based on that 22c Motor Truck......the Searchlight Lorry is difficult to find. Please know that this casting did continue the open rear window briefly after being re-introduced following WWII.
Best regards, Terry
Chris---Nice to see this nice collection of vehicles based on that 22c Motor Truck......the Searchlight Lorry is difficult to find. Please know that this casting did continue the open rear window briefly after being re-introduced following WWII.
Best regards, Terry
Very special and rare items indeed, Chris! Looking at the (apparent) axle widths they all, but the darker green Crane Truck, seem to be pre-war. The darker green example, with the fine treaded tyres, ridged hubs, thicker axles and the closed rear window must date from 1947 in my opinion.
In the mean time I found a box for my unboxed green no. 340 Land Rover and a French no. 25r Camionnette de dépannage avec grue (1949-1954), the later issue with 'Dinky Service' in tampo print on the sides. It looks better than it actually is. There are a few nasty touch-ups, which I hate, but it was not too expensive and it's a great model after all. The previously shown brick red Guy 4-ton Lorry in the background. Kind regards, Jan
Terry,
I was unaware that the searchlight lorry was produced briefly after WW2. I was relying on information from Jacques Encyclopedia which doesn't mention this. It only says it was produced from 1939 to 1941. Where does your information that it was produced after the war come from?
Chris.
I believe Terry meant that the basic 22c lorry was produced still with an open rear window for a brief period after the war, not that the searchlight lorry was produced after the war.
Thanks for the explanation.
Chris
Thanks for the explanation.
Chris
Nice collection Chris. They all seem to be in vgc with hardly if any fatigue.
I am with you regarding "car" being used to describe a truck but they did that a lot way back then.
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Dinky 582/982 Pullmore - Dark Blue Cab/Dark Blue Body
DTCAwebsite upgrade 2023
--33 Mechanical Horse and Five Assorted Trailers
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186 Mercedes 220 SE
186 Mercedes 220 SE
--14a and 400 B.E.V. Electric Truck (1948-60)
--33 Mechanical Horse and Five Assorted Trailers
--25m and 410 Bedford End Tipper (1948-63)
--25m and 410 Bedford End Tipper (1948-63)
Trailer Caravans
Austin Van 470
Meccano Liverpool pricelist French F.A.S. Tarif Exportation 1957
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-274 - A.A. Mini van
Dinky Toys books
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--40h and 254 Austin FX3 Taxi (1952-59)
--40h and 254 Austin FX3 Taxi (1952-59)
-066 Bedford Flat Truck (1957-60)
-066 Bedford Flat Truck (1957-60)
--40h and 254 Austin FX3 Taxi (1952-59)
--40h and 254 Austin FX3 Taxi (1952-59)
--40h and 254 Austin FX3 Taxi (1952-59)