Lesney Matchbox 24b Weatherill hydraulic excavator

Moko Lesney Matchbox 24b Weatherill hydraulic excavator

In 1959 the Lesney model of the Weatherill hydraulic excavator was scaled up and took over the number 24b slot from it's smaller version the number 24a in the Matchbox 1-75 series,
The earlier model was only 58mm long and the new version was 9mm longer at 67mm long.
It was painted in an orangy yellow all over.
The shovel was hinged in place by a regular body coloured dome head axle pin allowing the shovel to be raised and lowered.

The same black decal with "Weatherill hydraulic" written in white letters that was applied to the earlier 24a was applied unaltered to the rear of this one.
It was fitted with a variety of grey and black plastic wheels,
The wheels on the early issues were mounted on dome head axles with crimped ends and dome head axles with rounded ends were fitted on the later ones.

There was only one casting modification where part of a body line and rivet detail was removed from the left side of the body just ahead of the drivers compartment,
Except for the early grey wheels on crimped axle variation it was a fairly common model and is probably a model that is on no ones list of favorites,

The Weatherill did not have a baseplate so the void underneath had "By Lesney" cast in under the bucket pivot.
"Weatherill hydraulic" was cast in under the bonnet (hood) and "Made in England" cast in below the cab and on the underneath of the drivers seat was "No 24" cast in making the Weatherill the first Lesney model to have its number cast on the body / baseplate,
By coincidence the earlier 24a Weatherill was the first model to have its number cast on to the wheels but for some odd reason the wheels had the number 23 cast in although the box had number 24 on the endflaps
It was packaged in 'B', 'C' and 'D' type boxes and was deleted in 1967 to make way for the 24c Rolls Royce silver shadow.

Gary (Mrmoko) from the forum has this unusual Weatherill shown
on the left which appears to have the grille detail omitted, This could
simply be a very early casting that was quickly modified which has
not yet been recorded as yet. The hunt for further examples goes on.
photo courtesy Gary (Mrmoko).

code number	general	wheel type	front wheel size	rear wheel size	axles	body line & rivets
code 1	orange-yellow body & shovel, 'weatherill' decal	grey plastic	9 x 20	15.5 x 30	dome head crimped	with
code 2	orange-yellow body & shovel, 'weatherill' decal	grey plastic	10 x 24	15.5 x 30	dome head crimped	with
code 3	orange-yellow body & shovel, 'weatherill' decal	grey plastic	10 x 24	15.5 x 30	dome head rounded	with
code 4	orange-yellow body & shovel, 'weatherill' decal	grey plastic	11 x 24	15.5 x 30	dome head rounded	with
code 5	orange-yellow body & shovel, 'weatherill' decal	grey plastic	11.5 x 45	15.5 x 30	dome head rounded	with
code 6	orange-yellow body & shovel, 'weatherill' decal	black plastic	11.5 x 45	16.5 x 20	dome head rounded	with
code 7	orange-yellow body & shovel, 'weatherill' decal	black plastic	11.5 x 45	16.5 x 20	dome head rounded	without

box types	notes
B3	none
B4	none
B5	large picture
B5	small picture
B5	meduim picture
C	large picture
C	meduim picture
D1	one black side one blue
D2	one black side one blue
D2	two blue sides
D2	light blue sides

values

grey wheels crimped axles £60

grey wheels rounded axles £30

black wheels rounded axles £25

values are for mint models in mint boxes

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