Lesney Matchbox 26a ERF cement mixer

Moko Lesney Matchbox 26a ERF cement mixer

Lesney introduced he 26a ERF cement mixer into the Matchbox 1-75 series in 1956.
It was always painted bright orange which varies from a semi mat to a full gloss finish.
The orange mixer barrel was a seperate casting which was joined to the body & chassis by a single round rivet which was behind the cab and was spun over inside the mixer barrel.
Like most of the early Lesney models the design meant that no baseplate was needed on this one so the model had "Lesney England" cast into the cab roof and number "26" cast into the void beneath the mixer barrel carrier.
Metal wheels were fitted to the early issues then grey plastic wheels and finally silver plastic wheels which were originally mounted on flat head axles with crimped ends at first followed by dome head axles with crimped ends and finally by dome head axles with rounded ends.
The first version was trimmed by hand applied gold paint and must be a very hard to find variation as it is one that I have never come across but it could be more common than it seems but as it is not something that catches your eye could easily be overlooked,
Later issues were trimmed in silver to the headlights, The grille and to the fuel tank but soon after grey wheels made an appearance the trim on the fuel tank was omitted, The very last issue with silver plastic wheels had no trim at all.

There was only one modification to the casting which was carried out quite early in the models life,
This was where a round strengthening rod or 'drum shaft' was fitted to add some strength to the back of the barrel securing rivet. The shaft joined the back of the barrel rivet to the back of the cab and no doubt this was done because of breakages in the now strengthened area during the barrel rivetting process,
The ERF was sold in 'B' and 'C' type boxes and was replaced by the larger 26b Foden six wheeled cement mixer in 1961,
Both the gold trimmed version and the silver wheeled versions are very rare.

above: grey metal wheels & slver trim

above: grey metal wheels & gold trim

above: silver plastic wheels & silver trim

above left: without or. right: with drum shaft extension

code number	general	trim	axle type	wheel type	drum shaft
code 1	orange body & drum	gold to radiator grille, headlights & fuel tank	flat head crimped	8.5 x 18 grey metal	no extension
code 2	orange body & drum	silver to radiator grille, headlights & fuel tank	flat head crimped	8.5 x 18 grey metal	no extension
code 3	orange body & drum	silver to radiator grille, headlights & fuel tank	flat head crimped	8.5 x 18 grey metal	with extension
code 4	orange body & drum	silver to radiator grille, headlights & fuel tank	dome head crimped	8.5 x 18 grey metal	with extension
code 5	orange body & drum	silver to radiator grille, headlights & fuel tank	dome head crimped	9 x 20 grey plastic	with extension
code 6	orange body & drum	silver to radiator grille & headlights	dome head crimped	9 x 20 grey plastic	with extension
code 7	orange body & drum	silver to radiator grille & headlights	dome head rounded	9 x 20 grey plastic	with extension
code 8	orange body & drum	silver to radiator grille & headlights	dome head rounded	9 x 20 silver plastic	with extension
code 9	orange body & drum	none	dome head rounded	9 x 20 silver plastic	with extension

box types	notes
B1	blurred picture
B1	sharp picyure
B2	small model number
B2	medium model number
B2	large model number
B3	none
B4	none
B5	none
C	none

values

grey metal wheels, gold trim £250+

grey metal wheels, silver trim £30

grey plastic wheels £70

silver plastic wheels £500+

values are for mint models in mint boxes

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