PLEASE NOTE: I will no longer be altering the variation codes. All new discoveries will be inserted in to their correct place in the timeline and given a suffix.
So a new variation that would be nearest to variation 4 would become the new 4a, etc.

Moko Lesney Matchbox 28a Bedford 'S' type Compressor Truck

Lesney introduced the 28a Bedford compressor truck into the Matchbox 1-75 series in 1956.
To begin with it was painted in either bright orange or dull matt orange,
Later it was recoloured to yellow and it had hand applied silver trim to the headlights, Grille, The front bumper, The fuel tank and the air filter located between the cab and compressor and to the radiator grill at the back of the compressor.
It was always fitted with grey metal wheels on either flat head axles with crimped ends on the early issues or domed head axles with crimped ends on the later ones.
The Bedford was not fitted with a baseplate so it had "Lesney England" cast into the cab roof and the number 28 was cast in the void beneath the compressor engine.

There were two casting variations,
The first one was concerning the gap between the fuel tank and the air filter at the front of the compressor,
On the early issues the gap was open and on the later issues there is a pillar cast in going from the top of the air filter up to the bottom of the fuel tank and on some models the gap between the air filter and fuel tank can be completely flashed over,
The second casting variation was also to the air filter,
On the left side of the air filter there is an air intake neck, This air intake neck was lengthened on the later issues,
Also the area between the compressor engine and the compressor radiator began to flash over as the die wore but I have not included it in the variation table

The orange version is common and the yellow one is quite hard to find but neither version is particularly rare or sought after as it is quite a nice model but I doubt it would appear on many Lesney collectors list of favourite models.
The Bedford was only available in 'B' type boxes and it was replaced by the larger 28b Thames Trader which was also a compressor truck in 1959.

above: open gap between tanks

above: closed gap between tanks

above: circled in black, left the short air intake, right shows the longer air intake

code number	general	axles	tanks	filter
code 1	dull orange metal wheels silver trim	flat head crimped	open gap	short neck
code 2	dull orange metal wheels silver trim	flat head crimped	closed gap	short neck
code 3	dull orange metal wheels silver trim	flat head crimped	closed gap	long neck
code 4	dull orange metal wheels silver trim	dome head crimped	open gap	short neck
code 5	dull orange metal wheels silver trim	dome head crimped	closed gap	short neck
code 6	dull orange metal wheels silver trim	dome head crimped	closed gap	long neck
code 7	bright orange metal wheels silver trim	flat head crimped	open gap	short neck
code 8	bright orange metal wheels silver trim	flat head crimped	closed gap	short neck
code 9	bright orange metal wheels silver trim	flat head crimped	closed gap	long neck
code 10	bright orange metal wheels silver trim	dome head crimped	open gap	short neck
code 11	bright orange metal wheels silver trim	dome head crimped	closed gap	short neck
code 12	bright orange metal wheels silver trim	dome head crimped	closed gap	long neck
code 13	yellow metal wheels silver trim	dome head crimped	closed gap	short neck
code 14	yellow metal wheels silver trim	dome head crimped	closed gap	long neck

box types	notes
B2	small model number shown
B2	large model number shown

values

matt or gloss orange £40

yellow £60+

values are for mint models in mint boxes

price guide gallery

box gallery