It was 1953

Dave

Jacques, as you created this new 972 thread, I will post some pictures that I found in my documentation. No time now to write an elaborate account on this successful Dinky model, for others to complete ...

The most common version of the Coles Lorry Mounted Crane and the combination with the 889/972 Coles camion grue 20 tonnes 3 essieux, assembled in France (1959-1960 only), below.

http://dtcawebsite.com/sites/default/files/old-forum-images/dte972_Coles...">

Three pictures relating to the 1:1 crane.

Two pictures of promotionals (971 and 972), presents from the Dutch Van Kranenburg company of Rotterdam, importers of Coles cranes, now in the archives of the present-day heirs Van Seumeren - Mammoet.

Kind regards, Jan

dinkycollect wrote:
"Hi all,

My question may sound silly.

In which year was the 16th International Commercial Motor Transport Exhibition held in London ? This was probably between 1955 and 1962.

Thanks.

Jacques."

Jacques,

What is the connection between the 16th International Commercial Motor Transport Exhibition that Dave informs us was in 1953, and the 972 20-ton Lorry Mounted Crane?

I have been patiently waiting (and so too many others I suspect!!!) for your next post. The suspense is killing us!!! Although I huess it has something to do with the prototype Coles Lorry Mounted Crane.

Kind regards from Manila
Bruce (150)
#536

Hi Bruce, a Google search learns this, as auctioned by Vectis:

Lot 3267 House On The Hill Collection - June 17th, 2006 Dinky - No.972 Coles Mobile Crane on AEC chassis - orange cab and chassis, orange-yellow Crane and Supertoy hubs, light blue metal driver and Crane operator, grey tyres - Good Plus in Good Plus blue striped box. This example is highly unusual in that the box lid has 3 x "16th International Commercial Motor Transport Exhibition" labels for the Commercial Motor Show at Earls Court London September 26 - October 4 "See Our Exhibit, Stand No.137 Avenue U 1st Floor", it would appear that this example was a promotional giveaway by Coles themselves during this particular Commercial Motor Show. Unusual item, the first we have seen. Estimate:

Richard, for comparison with yours, I show my later, last version of the Lorry Mounted Crane. Contrary to yours it has no separate handle-grips anymore, and the string supports at the rear are filled in. The hook has a different colour, but that is of minor importance. Kind regards, Jan 

Yes Jan, you are right.

And I will add the tyres colours : black for yours and grey for mine.

I think also that the strings of mine are not originals.

I will post tomorrow a photo of my other Coles, the version "assemblé en France"

Kind regards.

Richard

Kia Ora from New Zealand,

I was not aware of the variation of the #972 20-Ton 'Coles' Lorry-Mounted Crane with the filled-in A frame for the lifting string.   So I had to check my 972s and found that the two late versions were so modified, so I don't have to look any further for another variation.   As to the wheel hubs, the one I have with black hubs and tyres has a mixture  3 each of styles.   The box illustration shows the hub style with the inner studs only.

Ron F

Dear friends.

Here are the photos.

1) The one which was fitted in France with its french box.

Here it is !

2) Now, both together

3) the base plates

4) the differences on the arrows of the cranes :

These two last photos are not good.

I try with 2 others

Kind regards

Richard

So, here are the diffences on the arrows, that I noticed on my made in England  Lorry mounted cranes :

1) no pulley on the latest version, at the arrow's head.

2) The arrow's head is bigger on the first version, with a different shape.

3) The spaces between the cross-bars are quite different.

These three points added to the others (see above), let think that Meccano used, at least 3 moulds.

That's all folks, until I receive the next one, which is on it's way 

Friendly yours

Richard

Hi Richard, it seems you are suffering from a Lorry Mounted Crane tsunami! A beautiful example you have caught, both model and the splendid box. Kind regards, Jan 

Hi all from the South Seas,

Recently I received a 972 Coles Crane that was near mint but the slewing rivet had come apart.  When I looked at my other 972s I found that there are two versions of the rivet. Earliest are cast as part of the plate for the base of the crane section and later this was replaced by a separate rivet.   The photo also shows a 'bump' (upstand) at the end of the chassis which does not seem to have any purpose?   The difference in the other raised areas is not real and all examples are the same - just a quirk of the photograph.

Ron

Ron---That is a very nice "fleet" of Coles 20-Ton Cranes........an impressive gathering for sure!
Best regards, Terry

Hi Ron, from the North Sea, fine collection of 972's you have there!

Having so many examples available, could you please help me with my initial question about the 'bumper' on top of the crane arm basis? The photo below shows the most obvious difference between the early British version and the French assembly (in front). But the various British ones seem to show differences as well. Is there any logic/chronology to be observed as this issue is concerned between the examples of your lorry mounted crane fleet?

Kind regards, Jan 

Hello Jan,

A quick review of the 972 Coles Cranes in the photo.   Left to right:

1. First version with full lattice shown on top of jib, wide jib stop (4.4mm), cast slewing rivet, no bump on rear, metal hubs, metal winder ferules

2. As 1 with blanked off lattice at top of jib, separate slewing rivet (all the remainder types have a separate rivet), narrow jib stop (2.8mm) bump on rear, metal hubs, later decals.

3. Change to plastic hubs with 'holes' on the outer perimeter, driver only, narrow jib stop, plastic winder ferules.

4. As 3 but rear A frame filled in, wide (4.3mm) jib stop, plastic winder ferules.

5. As 4 but no winder ferules, wide (4.2mm) jib stop, plastic wheels without outer ring of holes.

6  As 5 but black plastic hubs, wide (4.2mm) jib stop.

7  French version with extra wide (5mm) jib stop.

There is a gradual reduction in the jib stop width for the wide variety - die wear?

Ron F

This is the kind of overviews we need so badly on this website! Now we only have to organize and guess about the explanations ...

Thank you very much, Ron, kind regards, Jan 

Hi Ron and Jan.

I just had a look on mine and one of my versions has a rivet which is hollow.

In the middle, it's a hole and you can see the other side across it !

On the first photo, you can see a rear axle.

Kind regards

Richard

Some 972 boxes.

Ron F

Now, I have 4 english versions and one french !

These ones are to add to the two others that I already post here.

Friendly yours

Richard

With that arrival, I have the first version with or without the rectangular rear pin ! 

Cheers

Richard

An illustrated article of a really stunning model of the Coles Lorry Mounted Crane in the 05/16 Auto in Miniatuur issue, which fell on my doormat today. An incredible piece of work, done by Sjaak van der Kroft, which he started when his grandson Jenson was born and completed and donated to him at his 2nd anniversary. He used the Dinky Supertoy no. 972 as example. As wheels are not that easy to do-it-yourself, he started buying suitable solid 10 cm diameter wheels and adjusted the scale of the model to be made to those available wheels, resulting in a scale 5x larger than the Dinky (so almost 1:10, with a lenght of 1,250 mm). Besides the pre-fabricated wheels the model is fully made of high quality beechwood and produced in every detail by Sjaak himself. A very professional job indeed! Sjaak made the photos, Pieter Groenendyk wrote the text of the article, and I am convinced they and the editors will not object to my posting of one photo here, as a teaser. Kind regards, Jan

Provisional photos below of the single model and the provisional installation of the newly added Coles Dieselelektrischer Kran auf LKW-Fahrgestell, the German promotional issued by the Duisburg branch of the Coles firm. Although I have come to know quite some information about it already, any more information by others is highly appreciated. The model, with its striped sides but still without plastic wheels or filled in 'triangle' must date from the 1962-1964 period. The model to be rated as 'very good to excellent', the box as 'good'. The box contains all packing pieces and even a loose quality control tag. It might well be worth a short additional article in The Journal, a follow-up of the January 2016 text. Kind regards, Jan 

Jan, congratulations on your new acquisition that you have been looking for so long. When you make a follow up, perhaps you might be interested in a picture of a same promotional Dinky Toys 571 971 of the same company Coles GMBH Duisburg. It has a similar box illustrated with a 571 971 Coles mobile crane.

Kind regards, Jan Oldenhuis.

Thank you Jan, that's correct, both the Mobile Crane and the Lorry Mounted Crane were issued this way. The Lorry Mounted Crane which I spotted back in 2008 had the same wheels and tyres but no stripes yet on the sides, so it must have been closely around 1962 that this promotional action will have taken place. In fact, I have not really been looking out for this one, simply because I judged it highly improbable to catch one. But when I detected it I struck immediately. Some antiquarian dealer in the former DDR - dealing in quite different stuff than Dinky Toys - had it and apparently took the average price for a regular 972 as a guideline. Kind regards, Jan