Shortly after World War II, production of a group of agricultural models began, later grouped together under the name “Farm Equipment”. It became a beloved series of agricultural models that were very popular with children and appeared in catalogs from 1948 to 1973. Every Dinky child owned some models from this series to play with for hours. The models are virtually indestructible and are still widely available today, a testament to the quality of Meccano Liverpool’s production.
In 1948 Meccano Liverpool started production of series 27 agricultural models first referred to in the 1955 USA catalog as “Farm Equipment”. It consisted of 13 models in total. 27A Massey-Harris Tractor is part of series 27 Farm Equipment and was the first model issued from June 1948 till 1966. From 1966 to 1971 the model continued under the name Massey-Ferguson Tractor and was renumbered 300. It is one of the most produced models in terms of numbers made by Meccano Liverpool.
I’ve collected all the models in this series including all dual numbered boxes which will be seen in this article. From the beginning, they were my favorites that reflected my childhood in the countryside. In this article, I describe the characteristics of the 27A Massey-Harris and 300 Massey-Ferguson tractors, which I have researched extensively. This article was created thanks to contributions to the DTCA forums and information from Mike and Sue Richardson’s Great Book of Dinky Toys.
The 27A in the Dinky Toys 1952 international color catalog.
Farm equipment in the Dinky Toys 1955 USA catalog.
Farm equipment in the Dinky Toys 1957 UK catalog.
Farm equipment models arranged as in the Dinky Toys 1957 UK catalog above.
Series 27 farm equipment with dual numbered boxes, including 30N/343.
The series 27 started in 1948 and grew to 13 models until 1973. A renumbering occurred in 1954. The series is comprised of the following models:
- 27A (300) Massey-Harris Tractor — June 1948–1971
- 27AK (310) Farm Tractor and Hay Rake — March 1953–1965
- 27B (320) Halesowen Harvest Trailer — June 1949–1971
- 27C (321) Massey-Harris Manure Spreader — October 1949–1973
- 27D (340) Land Rover — April 1950–1971
- 27F (344) Estate Car — February 1950–1961
- 27G (342) Moto-Cart — December 1949–1961
- 27H (322) Disc Harrow — April 1951–1973
- 27J (323) Triple Gang Mower — October 1952–1961
- 27K (324) Hay Rake — March 1953–1971
- 27M (341) Land Rover Trailer — 1952–1973
- 27N (301) Field Marshall Farm Tractor — October 1953–1966
- 30N (343) Farm Produce Wagon — May 1950–1964
The Massey-Harris Tractor
Cover and page from circa 1948 Massey-Harris Buyers’ Guide showing the
Massey-Harris 44 tractor.
The Massey-Harris 44 in the Landbouwmuseum Tiengemeten.
The model number of the Massey-Harris 44 showing the KS suffix.
According to the 1948 issue of Meccano Magazine, the prototype of the Dinky 27A is the Massey-Harris 44 tractor that was produced in Racine, Wisconsin (USA) from 1946 to 1953. This tractor is the model 44 KS (K = kerosene, S = standard) that was introduced in 1948 and is exhibited in the Landbouwmuseum Tiengemeten, an agricultural museum in Tiengemeten in the Netherlands. It was financed by the Marshall Plan of 1948 to rebuild the economy of Western Europe that was severely damaged during WW II.
The engine is a kerosene version. Although the tractor starts on gasoline, it needs to be switched over to kerosene or distillate (called petroleum in the Netherlands) when the engine warms up. At the time, kerosene (petroleum) was the cheapest fuel in the Netherlands. This is for clarification, as the brochure shows a picture of a Massey-Harris 44 Diesel. The brochure does show the same model as the one in the museum, but with a different engine.
It’s a pity that Meccano Liverpool chose to produce a closed engine compartment for its Massey-Harris tractor model, rendering the engine’s contours invisible. Later, an open engine compartment was reproduced for the Dinky 305 David Brown Tractor (1965–1975) and the Dinky 308 Leyland 384 Tractor (1971–1979).
The Dinky 27A Massey-Harris Farm Tractor introduced in the June 1948 issue of Meccano Magazine.
Trade boxes of the Dinky 27A and Dinky 300 Massey-Harris Farm Tractor.
Images: Vectis Auctions
My collection of Dinky Toys Massey-Harris Farm Tractors.
The steering of the Dinky Toys Massey-Harris Tractor is adjustable.
The baseplate of the Massey-Harris Tractor showing the adjustable front steering.
The first version of the Dinky 27A Massey-Harris Tractor.
The general characteristics of the Massey Harris tractor are:
- red closed body
- grey metal wheels with yellow hubs
- black metal exhaust and air pipe
- tan cast driver on open black metal chair
- metal towing hook
- adjustable front steering
- “Massey-Harris” brand name in yellow on either side. Note the driver’s left foot which is secured with a plug in a hole in the chassis.
In 1962, production of the Dinky Toys Massey-Harris Tractor switched to using black rubber tires with a different tread pattern.
L: First version of the Dinky 27A with black steering wheel and steering rod.
R: Second version with black steering wheel and chrome steering rod.
A first version 27A can be recognized by the absence of reinforcement on either side of the rear platform between the platform (above the tow hook) and the mudguards, together with a black steering wheel with a black steering rod. Only the earliest versions have these characteristics. This is clearly visible in the pictures above. On the left is an early version 27A without reinforcement and on the right, a second version 27A with reinforcement.
Casting differences between the first version (L) and second version ®, indicated by red arrows.
The casting differences are:
- Left: driver attached to seat with rivet.
Right: driver attached to the seat with crossed plug. - Left: small tow bar.
Right: large tow bar. - Left: no reinforcement on both sides of platform.
Right: reinforcement on both sides of platform. - Left: small inside wheel hub inside.
Right: larger inside wheel hub. - Reinforcement inside metal wheel:
Left: 4x narrow standing.
Right: 3x flat wide.
A better view of the differences in wheel hubs.
R: first version, L: second version.
Another peculiarity of the second version of the 27A is that the inside of the rear wheels features a small cast number near the wheel hub. One rear wheel bears the number 2 and the other the number 3 as shown in the pictures below. The first version of the 27A doesn’t have these cast numbers.
Dinky Toys 27A second version rear wheel with cast numbers 2 and 3.
The same numbers are also found on the inside of the rear wheels of Dinky 301 Field Marshall Tractor with grey hubs, but the one with green hubs bears the numbers 1 and 4. Perhaps there are more such findings, for example with the Dinky 562 Muir-Hill Dumper Truck which shares the wheels of the Dinky 27A.
Shown above is the third and last version of the Dinky Massey-Harris Tractor with the “Massey-Harris” brand name on the model, black rubber tires, a blue plastic driver on an open black metal chair and black metal exhaust and air pipe, in a Dinky 300 Massey-Harris picture box with inner packaging.
The Switch from Massey-Harris to Massey-Ferguson
The change of the brand name Massey-Harris to Massey-Ferguson on the models is quite remarkable. According to The Great Book of Dinky Toys (page 83), the Massey-Harris tractor brand name changed to Massey-Ferguson in 1966. This only affected the brand name designation on the Dinky Toys models. In practice, the merger of Massey-Harris with Ferguson took place in 1953 and continued under the name Massey-Harris-Ferguson. It wasn’t until 1958 that it changed to the current name Massey-Ferguson, but the brand name change in Dinky Toys catalogs and models was not made by Meccano Liverpool until 1966.
The Massey-Harris Tractor brand name was used by Meccano Liverpool up to and including the 1965 catalog. In 1964 and 1965, Massey-Harris tractors were shown in catalogs with the name Massey-Harris Tractor, but without the brand name on the model. Perhaps Meccano Liverpool didn’t yet have permission to use the new brand name Massey-Ferguson and this was not arranged until 1966, when the models and catalogs started appearing with the Massey-Ferguson brand name. During this transitional period 1964–1965, Massey-Harris tractor models were issued without the brand name on the model.
The Massey-Harris Tractor shown in the Dinky Toys 1964 and 1965 catalogs without the brand name on the model.
The 1964–1965 Massey-Harris Tractor without the brand name on a model with black rubber tires, blue plastic driver on cast-in red seat with black steering wheel and yellow plastic exhaust pipe in a plain 300 Massey-Harris box without the model image.
Image: Vectis Auctions
The Massey-Ferguson brand name appeared on the model for the first time in the 1966 catalog.
My Massey-Ferguson collection (front view).
My Massey-Ferguson collection shows the change to a cast-in red colored seat and a yellow plastic exhaust pipe. On the far left a driver sits on an open black metal seat. All Massey-Fergusons are fitted with black rubber tires.
My Massey-Ferguson collection (rear view).
As can be seen in the model on the far right in the above picture, the driver sits on an open black metal seat. The seat changed to a closed cast-in red one and the black exhaust pipe to a yellow one.
The three versions of the Massey-Ferguson tractor.
There are three versions of the Massey-Ferguson tractor.
- The first version has the driver sitting on a black open seat, a black metal exhaust, a black steering wheel and a plug under the driver’s left foot.
- The second version has the driver perched on a closed cast-in red seat, a black metal exhaust, a black steering wheel and no plug under the driver’s left foot.
- The last version has the driver sitting on a closed cast-in red seat, a yellow plastic exhaust, an unpainted steering wheel and no plug under the driver’s left foot.
L: Massey-Ferguson driver with a plug under his left foot secured in a hole in the chassis. R: Massey-Ferguson driver without a plug under his left foot and without a hole in the chassis.
Base plate of the Massey-Ferguson tractor that continues to show the name “Massey-Harris”.
The baseplate of the Massey-Harris and Massey-Ferguson tractors are the same and sans model number. The text is partly engraved and partly embossed and the front steering is adjustable. According to the Meccano classification list of embossed Dinky Toys bases in The Great Book of Dinky Toys (page 218) there wasn’t enough space available for embossing or engraving the model number.
Meccano classification list of embossed Dinky Toys bases.
Image: The Great Book of Dinky Toys (page 218).
The Massey-Ferguson tractor appeared for the last time in the 1971 Dinky Toys catalog.
There were four variations in how the driver was fastened to the seat:
- Driver riveted to seat.
- Driver fastened to seat with cross plug.
- Driver fastened to seat with rounded plug.
- Blue driver fastened to seat with rounded plug.
There were three versions of the steering wheel assembly:
- Black steering wheel and rod.
- Black steering wheel and chrome rod.
- Chrome steering wheel and rod.
Special Releases
Finally, here are pictures of some special releases that were issued.
The Dinky 300 Massey-Harris Tractor assembled and sold in South Africa by distributor Arthur E. Harris. Box printed in South Africa with text in English and Afrikaans.
Image: Diecast Gems.
Dinky 300 Massey-Ferguson in USA export window box.
Image: abbeytoys
