In the 1950’s as a young Dinky Toys collector, I built my own list of what had been made in both the English and French factories. At that time, there were no books or magazines for diecast. I started the list using Dinky catalogs and Meccano magazines.
Ever since, this list has grown up until the internet started, and I met digitally dozens of collectors, at about the same time digital cameras appeared making the price of photos acceptable. I added large color photos to my list which I made look like a web site with links to surf around, I was also able to transfer my typed list to my computer and this slowly developed into the present Fabulous Dinky Toys Encyclopaediawhich I sold on a CD to share my knowledge of Dinky Toys with other collectors.
I did not know what I had put my foot into, but I discovered hundreds of casting and color variations, mock-ups, pre-production models, all the different types of boxes, and a load of information about Dinky Toys.
Now, the Encyclopaedia contains almost everything about these models. It is written in both English and French and is an absolute must for any Dinky Toys collector. It had grown so much from that original CD that I had to use DVDs, and later double layer DVDs. When I reached the capacity of DVDs, I switched to large USB memory sticks; this is how the Encyclopaedia is now distributed. Today it contains more than 3300 pages and more than 12000 large color photos.
For information and orders, please email:
dinkycollect[at]gmail[dot]com
The Dinky Encyclopaedia home page
Table of contents
Dinky Toys Encyclopaedia pages about the Dinky 110 Aston Martin DB 5
1949 saw the introduction of two Dinky Toys that not only proved very popular, but were also both made for a very long time. Most importantly, they provided a lot of wonderful play value for young boys. I’m talking about the Dinky 14C/401 Coventry Climax Fork Lift Truck and the Dinky 571 Coles Mobile Crane.
I will focus first on the 14C/401 Coventry Climax Fork Lift Truck. In the early years of its production, it was available in orange, dark red, and brown, and in an orange card box. In 1954, it was renumbered to 401 and appeared in the well known striped box. Later versions came in yellow boxes. The forks were always green, and the driver was mostly commonly tan. There was also a French produced version of this model.
For me, as a young lad in the mid-1950’s, this along with the Coles Mobile Crane saw lots of use and serious play time. I loved how you could turn that neat handle, and raise or lower the fork. It was always fun to come up with some sort of load to use. And when the winding string eventually broke, it was pretty easy to replace.
The Coventry Climax Fork Lift Truck was one of my very first Dinky Toys, and the date code on the box bottom shows it was made in 1953, and I think it was given to me in 1954. I have lots of pristine Dinky Toys, but I also have many that I played with over 65 years ago, and all of them occupy a special place in my heart. They have been lifelong friends.
After a very long run, the production life of the Coventry Climax Fork Lift Truck ended in 1964.
The other Dinky Supertoys released in 1949 was also sure to delight young boys with lots of play value. This was the Dinky 571/971 Coles Mobile Crane, produced in a wonderful yellow with black carriage. I remember getting this one as a boy and delighting in setting it on a table, then lowering the boom and then the hook to pick up something off the floor. Over the years, many have had to finally replace the winding string, which is somewhat easy to do as the cab is hinged to allow easy access.
The Coles Mobile Crane was made for a very long time, not being discontinued until 1966. The last issues had a silver colored crane and plastic wheels and driver.
Here are the two early, smaller cranes that Dinky Toys made in the 1950’s. On the left is the French produced Dinky 50/595 Grue Salev crane, and on the right its English made cousin, the Coles Mobile Crane. The French Grue is also a nice model: they even put dual tires & wheels on the front, even though you can hardly see them. Very well made and detailed!
Many of us will agree that the (Commer) Fire Engine with Extending Ladder is one of the most iconic Dinky Toys ever. It lasted for about eighteen years in the post-war Dinky Toys range, which is not the longest available Dinky (Super)Toy, but in the rapidly changing 1950s and 1960s it’s a miracle that it succeeded in having a lasting appeal to its youthful admirers. And to be honest, it continues to appeal to the adult collector even half a century later. Even overseas, where similar Commer Fire Engines were virtually unknown in reality, this model managed to get into numerous little children’s minds as the quintessential prototype of a fire truck.
Dinky Toys May 1952 catalog “in preparation”
It must have been a surprising and exciting moment for young readers of the May 1952 Dinky Toys general catalog (“New models in preparation”) and the November 1952 issue of Meccano Magazine (“New models ready during November”) when they first made acquaintance with this sturdy model, so much bigger and more versatile than the “oldie but goldie” Streamlined Fire Engine of the 1930s!
The subsequent December issue of Meccano Magazine commented, “It is a miniature of one built by Hampshire Car Bodies Ltd., and is very modern in type with every detail represented in a realistic manner, from reels of hose to the pumps. There is accommodation for the firemen in a special compartment behind the driver, and the ladder, which is hinged at the rear, can easily be raised into position for effecting rescues, extended, and swung round at any angle in order to make it useful in all situations.”
Introduced as early as 1952 as Dinky Toys 555, this model could of course not have remained unchanged during a lifetime that spanned almost two decades. While the basic casting remained the same, many secondary characteristics of this model were altered over time due to changes in tooling, wear and repair of the die components, and new features introduced in response to a changing market and fashions.
One change that never occurred was the move from ridged to grooved wheel hubs, a change that is suggested by the earliest B&W pictures of the model in the abovementioned May 1952 Dinky Toys catalogue (13/552/130, Eng./Univ.) and the early issues of Meccano Magazines, which both show ridged Dinky Toys hubs. Indeed, the Commer was released in the nick of time past the mid 1952 transition to the newly introduced grooved Dinky Supertoys hubs, and was without exception fitted with only the latter. However, one cannot exclude the possibility that such a pre-production prototype does or did exist and served as a model for this early picture representation.
All the other (and often very subtle) changes that followed must have triggered in me a desire to collect more than just one or two examples of this model — in fact, a dozen to be specific! And with each new version in hand, more differences were detected and more questions answered — or raised.
I started in the 1980s with the addition of a rather “regular” example of the later 1950s model, which was in fact a higher quality improvement, a replacement for a previous example in my collection. Many years later a less common example of the very first 1952 issue with a brown ladder crossed my path, and I couldn’t resist buying that as well. That find was the reason for me writing an article about this rather exceptional early brown ladder in the Dutch “Auto in Miniatuur” bimonthly. One of the conclusions was that the change from the brown to silver ladder must have virtually coincided with the change of the red to silver ladder of its older cousin, the Dinky 25H/250 Streamlined Fire Engine.
Contemporary ladder finish changes
On the other hand, when the very late 1960s example (the final issue) was subsequently added, this would turn out to be the start of a quest for as many variants in between as possible. Upon collecting more variations, it became obvious that during the 1950s the grey rectangular hose reel recesses and the larger hoses at the rear turned from darker grey to a definitely brighter grey. This change coincided somewhat with the renumbering of the model from 555 to 955. Another interesting point about these recesses, in particular the right hand one, is the practical problem that apparently arose with casting that area.
Evolution of the right hose reel recess over two decades
At first, details in that area were crisp but in a few years they gradually started to deteriorate by the second half of the 1950s. The space under the reel tended to “silt up”. When this problem became more prominent and untenable, not long before plastic windows were introduced, it was apparently decided to fill this area with an undefinable shim, in order to address, or better, mask the problem. In order to keep things symmetrical, this shim was applied to the other, less problematic side as well. This “fake” addition to the model was officially “acknowledged” in the mid-1960s, this shim then being added to the second last and the final box design pictures; their realistic representations even suggesting that incidental addition existed in reality.
Latest box illustration with shim represented as being authentic
Many years ago I found an enquiry document in the Meccano Business Archive in Liverpool, prepared by Meccano historian Kenneth Brown. One of the respondents complained about the practical casting difficulties caused by the die of the Fire Engine. Whether this may have had to do with this very problem cannot be traced any more. Apparently the problem was ongoing and persistent, because the deterioration continued to occur even after the above mentioned provisional repair had taken place.
Other changes will be more obvious and familiar, in line with general Dinky Toys practice. We all know the early “mottled” base plates that made way for the gloss black painted ones near the end of the 1950s, and a matte black finish in the early 1960s that was replaced by a gloss black finish during the rest of its career. Meanwhile, the embossed model number 555 changed to 955 in 1954 and the Dinky Toys brand reference on the base plate changed to Dinky Supertoys.
1 : First base plate, Dinky Toys 555 (1952–54) 2 : Second base plate, Dinky Supertoys 955 (1955–61) 3 : Shiny black finished base plate (1961 onward) 4 : Matte black finished base plate (1964)
The introduction of plastic windows in 1960 meant that the two bells had to be fixed on top and inside slightly differently, resulting in a lower position with the bells now resting on the cab’s roof. Some other less conspicuous details like the position of the towing hook and the inside attachment of the rotating ladder changed as well. This may well have had to do with some newly introduced tools in the factory towards the mid 1960s.
Windows added and bell mounting changed
Bell mounting pre windows
Bell mounting post windows
Simplified mask spraying (on right) for the Streamlined Fire Engine and Fire Engine with Extending Ladder
The lovely, detailed mask spraying of the pumps system at the rear was simplified towards 1963, resulting in an all-silver panel. Like the previously mentioned change to the finish of the ladder, this also coincided with a similar simplification of the Streamlined Fire Engine’s rear instruments. This happened during the final stage of the Streamlined Fire Engine’s production.
The apparent similarity of boxes and plastic hubs
Like many other continued earlier Dinkys, the Fire Engine was fitted with plastic wheels from 1963 and even these may show a different structure. For instance, the models on the similar later yellow lid boxes (see above image) have different plastic hubs, one type visibly smoother than the other. Even the boxes aren’t exactly the same; the one the right shows the new yellow underbox while the one on the left is the traditional blue one. The boxes have their own story, as demonstrated in this article.
Silver painted ladder (top) and nickel plated ladder (below)
I was surprised to find an example of the Commer with a nickel plated (not silver painted) ladder from a reliable dealer in the United States, twelve years ago. It is a model with all the characteristics of the later Fire Engine, and it’s not clear to me whether this was a temporary experiment or the final design. I have never seen a reference to this exceptional kind of finish, let alone a possible explanation for this choice. It isn’t easy to catch the shine of the mirror like finish in a photography, but I hope I succeeded in doing so.
Because the Commer had such a long run, it’s also interesting to see the development of its boxes, from the early blue ones with a label pasted on the lid, through the various striped blue boxes, the lavishly illustrated yellow lidded ones, and later the abundantly colored sturdy end flap boxes. Various styles, reference numbers and brand designations can be identified. The only one still wanting in my overview is an example packed in the yellow visipac export box. It was listed by Keith Harvie in his unfortunately short-lived Binns Road Gazette (Vol 1/5, Sept/Oct 1999, p. 19–21). They are rarely seen, but Adrian Nash, from Australia, showed his example on the Forum of the DTCA website and is still visible there. These boxes with their flimsy see through ‘windows’ are so vulnerable that even his fine example needed some careful repair.
The idea of compiling a collage of the present state of my 555/955 collection arose when I found a nice Dinky 957 Fire Service Set in March 2020, as a kind of natural way to end to my long search of variations. I remember it well, for it was at the start of the Covid explosion, when “Covid paranoia” gripped everyone. In those confusing and uncertain early weeks, I wasn’t sure the set would arrive safely from the UK.
But it did, I couldn’t be happier in those dull days of isolation. Beholding my Fire Engine collection, now virtually completed with this Gift Set, it occurred to me that it might be nice to produce an overall photographic presentation, a ‘state portrait’. After all, I had plenty of time to spend at home! Some time before, I had already photographed each item individually on their boxes, so now I only had to take some good photos of the new Gift Set and choose the best one as the middle scene for the collage.
The “stitch operation” that soon followed turned out to be a challenging. I had to organize the individual pictures of my twelve single fire trucks in logical order and calculate what dimensions they all had to be reduced to in order to fit them exactly along the sides of the middle scene, as a colorful, decorative frame. After a few hours of fitting and measuring the puzzle was complete, resulting in a huge digital file, suitable for any kind of application.
The first trial included ordering a popular mug from my online photo service. After that I boldly tried a poster which turned out to be quite nice in its 50 cm x 70 cm size. I also used the collage for the cover of one of my photobooks that I periodically make, and finally I present it here as an article for everyone to enjoy!
The photographer with his printed poster
Photo album cover and coffee mug with a reduced version of the scene
The Dinky 555, 597 collage
Author’s note
An earlier article of mine on the Dinky 555/955 was published in the July 2009 issue of Model Collector (p. 46–51). There has also been considerable discussion about this model at the DTCA website. This article was first published in The Journal of the DTCA, issue 94 (July 2024).
Some time ago, I was approached by a passionate collector. He had an eye for the rare Dinky Toys 48 Petrol Filling and Service Station. First introduced to the public in the June 1935 issue of Meccano Magazine, this model had unique charm, partly because its production lasted only a short time before coming to a halt at the start of World War II.
Dinky Toys 48 Petrol Filling and Service Station advertised in Meccano Magazine, June 1935
Virtually impossible to find, let along in good condition, the No. 48 Petrol Filling and Service Station — which was produced from 1935 to 1941 and later from 1945 to 1946 — encapsulates the peak of tinplate craftsmanship from the early Dinky era and stands out for its vivid lithographic detailing and period branding, a rare survivor of 1930s toy-making elegance.
A near pristine Dinky 48 Petrol Filling and Service Station Image: J K Diecast Models
The collector wanted nothing less than a paper reproduction of this iconic station, complete with all the original details. With a smile, he told me, “I’ve dreamed of owning an original for years, but the prices on the market are simply out of reach.” I promised him I would recreate the model, provided I could find the right images of the charming service house.
After extensive searching through archives and old advertisements, I finally found the perfect image. The station was made in various color combinations of green, blue and orange bases and green, yellow and brown roofs. With this information in hand, I set to work. First, I carefully sketched out the construction details, made a prototype, and adjusted it until each part fit together perfectly.
I started by crafting the base plate, followed by the service house, the roof, and the roof border, each piece created separately. The components were reinforced with cardboard and covered with thick colored paper. One by one, these parts were glued onto the base plate. As a final touch, I positioned the red crown on the roof. proudly displaying the station’s name. When the service station was finally complete, it felt like an homage to a bygone era and a tribute to craftsmanship of the past.
The collector received the model with a broad smile and told me that, although he had wished for an original, this paper reproduction touched him even more. It was not just a copy but a work of art: a piece of history reborn in a new, artisanal way.
In the February 1961 issue of Meccano Magazine, collectors were treated to an exciting full-color announcement. A brand new Dinky Toys model was hitting the shelves: No. 186, the Mercedes 220 SE. Set against the backdrop of a majestic Bavarian castle, the miniature marvel made quite the entrance.
In the UK, this stylish 4 inch limousine could be yours for just 5 shillings and 9 pence. True to the real car’s elegance, the model featured the iconic three-pointed Mercedes star on the radiator, flanked by large headlight units built into the plastic front fender and of course chrome-plated for extra flair. Over time, many of these delicate stars snapped off as the plastic grew brittle with age.
Image: Wikipedia
A fun fact: the three points of the Mercedes star symbolize the brand’s ambition to dominate on land, sea, and the air — a nod to its powerful engines used in cars, marine vessels and aircraft.
While Mercedes fans knew the real life 220 SE as the “Fintail”(or Heckflosse in German), its official factory code was W111. Dinky’s scaled down version stayed true to the original spirit, requiring no fewer than 17 individual parts to assemble a complete model.
Here’s what went into building (and restoring) one of these little legends:
Base plate – cleaned, straightened, and freshly repainted
Suspension spring – de-rusted, realigned, and lubricated
Mounting rivet for the spring
4 tires – replaced with new ones
4 polished hubs and 2 axles, all cleaned and gleaming
Car body – stripped, polished, degreased, primed, color coated, and clear lacquered
Plastic windows – polished until crystal clear
Interior and steering wheel – cleaned
Front fender – metal version fitted after careful trimming
Rear fender – new chrome piece installed
To bring everything together, the original rivet holes were drilled and new rivets were securely clamped in place. To ensure a perfect finish, every piece was test fitted before painting.
Some Mercedes 220 SE (W111) Trivia
Produced from 1959 to 1965 in: • Stuttgart, West Germany • East London, South Africa • Port Melbourne, Australia
Dinky Toys manufactured their model from 1961 to 1966 in: • Liverpool, England • Cape Town, South Africa
When South Africa left the Commonwealth, import taxes on fully assembled toys skyrocketed. To get around this, Dinky shipped unpainted parts to Arthur E. Harris, their South African distributor. There, the models were painted and assembled locally. South African boxes proudly stated “Printed in South Africa” and included Afrikaans text along with the mark “Sole Distributor: Arthur E. Harris (Pty) Ltd.”
As for my own two 220 SE models, I restored them in two of the most popular original colors from the era, classic black and sleek grey, and made two boxes for the limousines. One for European market and the other as similar as the South African version, holding South African text on it. For me that’s easy to read and understand because it’s very similar to my native Dutch.
In 1987, a series of six Matchbox Toys were issued in Dinky Toys blister packs. There is an enduring myth among some collectors that Universal issued these blister packs unilaterally, in order to hijack the Dinky Toys trademark at no cost, or at the very least as a gambit that would somehow reduce the price it paid General Mills to obtain it. I hope I will be clear when I denounce this myth as “balderdash,” “poppycock,” or “nonsense.”
General Mills had gained international rights to the Dinky Toys brand when it purchased what was left of Airfix and Meccano France S.A. in 1981. And all agree that General Mills did not want to continue producing Dinky Toys. It wanted to leave the toy business entirely, besides which space figurines and video game cartridges were the in thing, not diecasts.
When I learned about the Dinky trademark being reunited, I wondered what would happen to it, and so corresponded with General Mills’ toy division (Kenner Parker) in France and the UK. Eventually I was referred to their US legal office and received this letter.
Unfortunately at the time I was was an under-employed journalist with a young family, and had no means to purchase the trademark and enter into the production of toys (which would have been necessary to defend the trademark). So no further action was taken. If we could just go back via a time machine and do something about it...
Anyhow, the letter shows that Kenner Parker was not ignoring the Dinky trademark, nor were they unaware of its value, as the myth-makers like to believe. It’s pretty certain that one of the two suitors for the brand mentioned in the letter was already Universal Toys.
Fiat 131 Abarth
Now, we come to the eventual issue of the Matchbox cars in Dinky Toys blister packs. I’m sure it’s true that they were sold in a toy store in Enfield, England, and that this was publicized, They were produced in very large quantities (still common today) and were available worldwide. A sophisticated corporation, as Universal was, does not engage in production of that sort and make specific legal statements on packaging without being on solid legal ground, and already being the trademark owner.
The Dinky-labeled Matchbox models were not produced to steal the trademark or get a lower price for it. They were produced to satisfy the requirement by various trademark offices worldwide that a trademark be in active use.
Back of the card
On that last point, I don’t find any evidence that the Dinky Toys trademark was used actively by General Mills between 1981 and 1986–87 when they sold it. (Though, Airfix Dinky Toys could still be found in shops as old stock until 1983 or 1984 at least.) So, yes, General Mills were sailing “close to the wind” and had to sell the trademark if they weren’t going to use it themselves.
All in all, it seems that Universal got the Dinky Toys trademark at a knockdown price, relatively speaking, but I don’t think that the Dinky-labeled Matchbox toys were any sort of bargaining gambit. In the end, these six little Dinky Toys are a fun part of the 1980’s Matchbox story and well worth searching out if you are a completist!
The Mini Dinky range was introduced by Meccano (owned by Lines Brothers at the time) in 1967 or 1968 in 1:65 scale. They were made by subcontractors in Hong Kong to compete with the popular Matchbox Toys.
Two Formula 1 cars were also in the range, made by Best Box (Bestbox) in Holland (later called EFSI), as well as six construction equipment made by Universal Industries in Hong Kong.
The construction pieces were to a much smaller scale and might have been manufactured first by Mercury Toys of Italy and Mercury Industries of Montreal, Canada. These six might have been part part of a larger range called Lit’l Toy, and later sold by Gibbs Metal Miniatures. After that, the six were released as Mini Dinkys made in Hong Kong. Finally, Universal Industries sold them or similar copies as Kidco, Champ of the Road, or the Minibox Series. The Universal versions were made in Hong Kong and do not have the Dinky branding on the castings.
The various ranges of the construction vehicles show differences with the castings suggesting that no “clone” casting could have taken place with the Mini Dinky tooling and that the Mini Box, Kidco, etc. could be just general copies. Research is not as complete on these as it should be.
The construction vehicles have always been the harder models to establish correct tool use and production time-lines for and will remain a mystery for some time to come but eventually as more collectors are made aware of these models it will be unravelled by someone!
The range came in small, red plastic boxes representing garages with large sections of clear windows. The front could be opened like a garage which gave this range a unique feature compared to the typical cardboard box or blister pack. These plastic garages were specific to each model because the car’s name and catalog number were printed on one end in yellow.
Images: David Green
Mini Dinky catalogs or brochures at the time showed many planned street car models that were never released, so the following is the list that actually made it into production. If you have any others in your possession, please let me know!
10 Ford Corsair
11 Jaguar E Type
12 Corvette Stingray
13 Ferrari 250 LM
14 Chevrolet Chevy II
16 Ford Mustang
18 Mercedes Benz 250 SL
19 MGB
20 Cadillac Coupe De Ville
21 Fiat 2300 Station Wagon
22 Oldsmobile Toronado
60 Cooper 3L Formula 1
61 Lotus 3L Formula 1
94 International Bulldozer
95 International Shovel
96 Payloader Shovel
97 Euclid R‑40 Dump Truck
98 Michigan Scraper
99 Caterpillar Grader
Production of the Street Cars
There is evidence that the production took place in two batches, because some models have bare metal baseplates while others have bright plated baseplates. HKI (Hong Kong Industries) had made toys for The Lines Group in the mid-60’s, Sindy dolls starting in 1968, and the six 1:42 “Hong Kong Dinky Toys” of US cars from 1965.
HKI were contracted to make the Mini Dinky models, but the quality proved to be quite low with inferior metal mixes and poor construction. Some have poor paint jobs and show overspray when two colors were used.
If you study the models with bare metal baseplates, you can see that many examples suffer from metal fatigue; these were made by HKI (Hong Kong Industries).
The contract was handed over to Zyll Enterprises (parent of ZEE TOYS and ZYLMEX) for continued production with plated baseplates. These are the better built and better quality versions of the Mini Dinky models.
The name on the baseplate has been cast in four ways:
“MINI-DINKY” — upright with a hyphen
“MINI-DINKY” — italicized with a hyphen
“MINI DINKY” — italicized without a hyphen
“MINI DINKY TOYS” upright with no hyphen and “TOYS” added
The earlier type is italicized text with a hyphen; this is how it is presented on technical drawings of these models, dated 1967. These first models, “the first batch”, are likely to have been made by HKI but proved to be of poor quality and so production was switched to Zyll, hence the “chrome” effect baseplate.
All R&D was done in Canterbury at the MINIC LTD factory on Market Way, Canterbury, Kent. The factory was responsible for much of the “MINIC” branded toys, including the Sindy dolls for PEDIGREE and the MINIC MOTORWAY slot car system among others.
Top Gear
After the Mini Dinky production runs were over (in 1970, or the early 1970s), some or all the castings appeared with speed wheels as the Top Gear brand. The Mini Dinky range that became Top Gear models had their baseplates retooled to allow their use on the Johnny Lighting (JL) “500” race sets in 1969. At that time, JL’s were made by Topper Toys (1969–73) who had a marketing and distribution agreement with Tri-ang Toys in the UK. Tri-ang was owned by Lines Brothers, who had bought Meccano, and hence Dinky Toys, in 1964.
The Johnny Lightning models had a black rectangular hole near the front axle, for a catapult mechanism in the track that shot these models along quickly. The model below is the “Top Gear” version of the “Mini-Dinky” Oldsmobile, with the same rectangular hole near the front axle.
I only know of five Top Gear models based on the old Mini Dinkys, all designed to be run on the “Johnny Lightning” track system.
The Models
10 Ford Corsair
Two colors of the Corsair are shown. A collector is known to have a dark red Corsair marked “Car * Lines” instead of “Mini Dinky” as the top line of text on the base, but still marked made in “Hong Kong for Meccano LTD”!
11 Jaguar E Type
12 Corvette Stingray
Two different wheel styles are shown below. Also, a casting difference has been identified by Tick on Planet Diecast on the Corvette concerning the body casting below the rear bumper. The baseplate photo shows the casting filled in more fully on the right under the bumper than on the second variation.
13 Ferrari 250 LM
The Ferrari has an unusual black baseplate compared to the other cars in these photos.
14 Chevrolet Chevy II
16 Ford Mustang
Two colors of the Mustang fastback are shown, both with different interior colors.
18 Mercedes Benz 250 SL
Similar to the Corvette, the Mercedes Benz 250 SL is shown with the same two wheel types.
19 MGB
20 Cadillac Coupe De Ville
21 Fiat 2300 Station Wagon
Images: Tick (Planet Diecast)
22 Oldsmobile Toronado
These photos of the Oldsmobile Toronado illustrate the metal fatigue (zinc pest) common to many Mini Dinkys.
60 Cooper 3L Formula 1
The Best Box version is shown in HobbyDB. The blue 60 Cooper and green 61 Lotus are shown below.
61 Lotus 3L Formula 1
The Lotus baseplate is marked “Made in Holland” on the Mini Dinky also shown below. The Best Box version is pictured at Worthpoint.
94 International Bulldozer
95 International Shovel
96 Payloader Shovel
The photos below show the payloader where the inside of the shovel has the engraved writing.
97 Euclid R‑40 Dump Truck
The base of the Euclid in this example doesn’t have “Mini Dinky” inscribed on it, so this instance was likely produced after Meccano and sold by Universal under various product names.
98 Michigan Scraper
99 Caterpillar Grader
Peter Zimmerman reports in his online article Mini Dinky Construction Vehicles that the only construction equipment without “Meccano” or “Mini Dinky” marked on it is the Cat Grader.
Street Car Wheels
There seems to be no established time line regards the fitment of the two types of wheel rims and tires. Then two wheel types were shown above for the Corvette and the 250 SL.
A small spun alloy type wheel rim similar to those fitted on the larger regular Dinky Toys cars has been seen fitted to a bare metal baseplate and a brightly plated baseplate, suggesting that when production was being done by Zyll Enterprises, stocks of these wheel rims were used on the newer versions of these models until the Mazac cast metal “Cross-Wire” wheel rim was used.
This means there are potentially Zyll made Mini Dinky models in existence with the brightly plated baseplates fitted with both types of wheel rims and tires.
Brochures
Here is the one brochure or catalog that has been found so far, from the US or Canada with tri-fold design. The front cover says “New” so this is probably from 1967 or 1968. It’s interesting to note that in the right photograph, there are all six construction equipment shown but only six cars (and no Formula 1). There are “18 More Cars Soon” mentioned on the reverse side, but only five of those were likely released.
A Dinky sales list from Canada has been found that mentions Mini Dinky. Photos can be seen in Ian Cousin’s article, Dinky Toys of Liverpool, UK.
Prototypes
Several rough prototype castings were found in 2015 and sold on eBay. These probably came from a Meccano company employee. User ziggeystardust showed them on Planet Diecast back then. The castings included in the lot were:
17 Aston Martin DB6 — painted mid blue
21 Fiat 2300 Station Wagon — raw casting attached to sprue, yellow interior
29 Ford GT40
29 Ford GT40 – blueprints
31 Volkswagen Fastback 1600TL — baseplate
32 Vauxhall Cresta — body shell painted in light green
33 Jaguar Mark X — with resin baseplate
35 Rambler Ambasador
36 Ford Thunderbird — blueprints only
37 Chevrolet Camaro
Others probably not produced but listed in the brochure are:
15 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow — a fully finished example is in a private collection
23 Rover 2000
24 Ferrari Superfast — one unpainted body casting known
The 25 series English Dinky Toytrucks were all originally designed and made pre-war, then again reintroduced right after the war, and then produced until around 1952. The latest versions ones even had colored wheels as you can see on the blue truck and green tanker. These pre-war trucks aren’t based on an actual prototype but are simply a stylized look on real trucks that were being made around 1937. All of these in the picture below are various postwar versions that had minor changes to the front radiator and fenders, and also to the base plates.
The blue open truck and the green tanker were both purchased by me around 1959, directly from H. Hudson Dobson who was the U.S. distributor for Meccano. They still had new old stock of many early postwar Dinkys offered at their original price of $0.75 each! I bought quite a few Dinkys from them during 1958–1960.
NOTE
When I was about thirteen years old, another Dinky collector friend and I somehow thought of writing to H. Hudson Dobson to inquire about acquiring older Dinky Toys. My friend had already bought the 39 Buick Viceroy, and since it wasn’t in the 1953 catalog, we figured it pre-dated that. Fortunately, the Dobson folks were quite nice about hearing from a couple of teenage Dinky collectors, and over the next several years sent me quite a bit of correspondence which I still have for some reason! I would ask about discontinued models and they would send me a list with prices. I would then order them and have them delivered to me. This allowed me to purchase quite a few older Dinkys at their then original retail price!
The following trucks were issued:
25A Wagon
25B Covered Wagon
25C Flat Truck
25D Petrol Tanker
25E Tipping Wagon
25F Market Gardener’s Lorry
25A Wagon
This is a very late version of the Open Wagon, finished in a lovely light blue, with matching blue wheels. This model also had a nice amount of original plating on the radiator shell. When these Type 4 trucks were introduced around 1948, Dinky decided to equip them with colored wheels and smaller, passenger car size tires. Earlier versions had larger smooth tires.
Notice the wider and more wrap around the front fenders as well. The 4th type baseplate has a simulated drivetrain. Also notice the radiator shell has original plating. It isn’t a bright silver color, but a slightly warmer tone. I think Meccano might have used nickel plating.
25B Covered Wagon
The Covered Wagon is a 3rd version of the casting (Type 3), from the late 1940’s, showing just how well Meccano finished these early trucks. The 3rd version came without the front bumper but with the older style fenders. Many survivors are now missing one or both headlights, but lots of these were made, so decent ones can still be found.
25C Flat Truck and Trailer
The timeless, classic look of the 25 series Dinky Toys is illustrated with their Flat Truck and Trailer, also shown with a non-Dinky load. This one is the later Type 4 version from around 1950.
25D Petrol Tanker
Pictured below is my later export version tanker. These were the last produced and were intended for the US market in the early 1950’s. This is also a Type 4, and they have a few changes from the earlier ones. First, the chassis is completely new and different, and features larger fenders, which in front now extend down much further. The rear fenders are also slightly wider. The bottom of the chassis also shows a symbolic drive train, with the bottom of the engine and a driveshaft. The wheels were also painted the body color, instead of black, and lastly, the tires were now the smaller black ones. The Tanker body itself was unchanged. The more common versions have “Pool” wording on them.
The next tanker truck is an earlier Type 3 with smooth, non-ridged wheels, and white tires, issued in late 1945, right after Meccano resumed making models again post-war. If you look closely, you can also see that the wheels are not only black, but a kind of shiny black… very soon after they went to a flat black. Also the use of the large white tires is a carryover from pre-war issues. This casting soldiered on until the series was deleted in 1952.
Type 3 versus type 4
The 25 series trucks were all 3 piece models, not counting the wheels: the chassis and fenders, the body, and the front grill/bumper assembly. The one on the left is a Type 3, produced immediately post-war, in 1946. The one on the right is a late, Type 4 export version, produced at the very end of production in 1952.
The one of the left just looks much older, with its narrow fenders and lack of a bumper on the front. The tires are also much larger and in white. The later model has the newer front and rear fenders, which are extended more over the tires, plus have the new front bumper attached. And finally, the later model also has the wheels painted the body color, instead of just black.
25E Tipping Wagon
The 25E Tipping Wagon was introduced in 1935, made in 4 different versions, and discontinued in 1950. At first glance it looks a lot like the 25A Wagon, but closer inspection shows the rear bed indeed has a hinged tailboard and the entire bed does tip up and down. Pre-war versions only were made in two-color schemes, with the cab and the bed in different colors. Mine is another example of an early post-war Type 2 with the open base plate, dating from 1946.
Shown above is also a close-up view of the open style baseplate on the Type 2 casting, used only through 1946. Notice that these early baseplates mentioned Liverpool but not England!
25F Market Gardener’s Truck
The Market Gardener’s truck, or, as most Americans call it, a stake truck. This was always one of my favorite versions of the 25 series: the rear stake bed is just so nicely done, and this one is the 3rd version, with the older style front end, with no bumper. These were available in yellow and black, or green and black.
In the second photo, the truck is shown with its two cousins, the English Dodge Farmer’s truck and the metallic blue French Ford Farmer’s truck — all stake trucks!
