Following the small trailer, the big one : DINKY-TOYS GB #551/951/428 BIG TRAILER

Despite the production period of this model being far shorter than the production period of the small trailer, it lasted during numerous years and therefore giving a number of casting variants. Here are the variants I have noticed on this model...

As its French counterpart (French DINKY #70/810) based on the semi trailer of the #32 PANHARD articulated lorry, the main casting of this trailer is the back part of the #521 BEDFORD ARTICULATED LORRY. It appears for the first time in the MECCANO MAGAZINE in may 1948, priced 3/8, just one month after the BEDFORD ARTICULATED issued in April 1948. An article in the June 1948 issue (p.192) presents the both models, included in the SUPERTOYS range which was launched in October 1947.

Unlike the 25G trailer, for which the French and British models are very similar, the British big trailer is completely different of the French one, it is more wider and the sidewall design is completely different. The French big trailer was also fitted with a tin tilt during all its production, which the British model never had.

During most of its production, this trailer was painted in grey with red hubs, but at the beginning and at the end of the production, it had other color schemes.

THE FIRST MODELS

At the beginning, the big trailer was produced in dark green, with black ridged hubs then with green ones. The rear mudguards and the front articulated part bearing the tow bar and the front axle are painted black. The dark green color is similar to the one of the first versions of the GUY truck, and the first versions of the BEDFORD TIPPER, or the FODEN flat truck. The MECCANO MAGAZINE, the catalogues and box labels of the time being printed in black and white, it is almost impossible to know exactly how long this green version lasted, but if you consider the few models remaining today, this version was not produced for a long time. I think (but this is only my personal opinion) that the green version production was shorter than the red version of the BEDFORD ARTICULATED.

First versions of the trailer in green, with black or green hubs

THE DIFFERENT GREY VERSIONS

Then arrived the grey models. Fitted at first with ridged hubs, black then red, having "herringbone" tyres then big treaded tyres (round section), first in grey then in black. Then the trailer was fitted with the SUPERTOYS hubs, these being always painted red, with square section big treaded black tyres. I saw on eBay a trailer having blue hubs which seemed to be original on the pictures. At this time I am waiting to find other examples to confirm this version.

During its life, the trailer moved between the DINKY SUPERTOYS and DINKY TOYS ranges, this leaded to different castings under the front turntable. Some versions have also no wordings. The main casting has no wordings on it, during all the production.

THE TOW BAR

At the beginning of the production (green versions, and also the first grey versions with ridged hubs and "herringbone" tyres), the tow bar is fitted to the front table with the ends facing the inside. The end were then curved to the outside, until the end of the production, as on the small trailer (see following pictures).

Three versions of the front tuntable : SUPERTOYS and DINKY TOYS wordings and without wordings. Note the towbar on the right model with its extremities bent inwards.

When the SUPERTOYS hubs were fitted, the rear "T" decal was deleted, and the rear mudguards were no longer painted black. The casting of the rear mudguards was modified, with the gap between the mudguard and the bed being filled.

Detail of the rear mudguard castings : the gap between mudguard and the underside of the bed being filled on the right version

THE LAST VERSION OF THE TRAILER

The last version of the trailer bears important changes. The main casting is painted in bright red, the front turntable being painted in white. It is fitted with large hubs and hubcaps, similar to those used on the British version of the French BERLIET TURNTABLE ESCAPE. These wheels and tyres being larger than the previous ones, the casting is altered to increase the height between the axles and the bottom of the trailer, the global height of the model being increased by a few millimeters.

Post initially published : mar 18th, 2018

Version française ici.