29a Bedford Milk Float

Moko Lesney Matchbox 29a Bedford milk float

1956 saw Lesney introduce the 29a Bedford milk float to the Matchbox 1-75 series.
It was an unusal choice to add a milkfloat to the range because the earlier 7a Horsedrawn milkfloat was still in production and that one would not be deleted until 1961 which was the same year that this one would be deleted and 1961 was also the the year that the 21c Commer milkfloat made its appearance so the range would not be left without having at least one milkfloat model included.
The milkfloat was the second model to be based on the bedford CA van after the 25a dunlop van version and the much nicer model of the 42a Evening news van was due to be released the folloing year,
It was always painted in a light brown and it could have grey metal wheels on the early issues and grey plastic wheels on the later issues which were mounted on flat head crimped axles to begin with or later dome head axles with crimped or rounded ends.
The early issues had a white bottle load which was actually cast in as part of the baseplate and the later ones had cream crate load.
silver trim was applied to the headlights grille and front bumper.

It was not one of the most popular models and could have been greatly enhanced by simply applying a nice set of decals to set the model off.
For some strange reason it had the vertical bars running up the outside of the front wings, These were not a feature of the real vehicle and they appeared on the dunlop and evening news versions of the beford as wellSo exactly why they were included in the casting is anyones guess.
There are no known casting modifications and it is not a hard to find model although it is not that common so it was probably not one of Lesneys best sellers it was still kept in the range for four years.
It was sold in 'B' type boxes and was deleted in 1961 to make way for the 29b Austin A55 Cambridge.
Updated: 13-09-11, Jeff (llrp59) has shown us a new colour variation of the Bedford milkfloat in a lighter and sandier shade of tan, This variation has also been confirmed by Mick Bruce and Antonin Shenk, It has been added to the variation table as code 4,

The standard shade of tan at the top and the new variation painted
in a lighter sandier shade, This has been added at code 4, It is not
yet known if this shade may also be found on metal wheeled
Bedfords.
Photo courtesy Jeff (llrp59).

code number	general	wheels	axles	crates colour
code 1	brown, silver trim	10.5 x 24 metal wheels	flat head crimped	white
code 2	brown, silver trim	10.5 x 24 metal wheels	dome head crimped	white
code 3	brown, silver trim	10 x 24 grey plastic	flat head crimped	white
code 4 NEW	light brown, silver trim	10 x 24 grey plastic	flat head crimped	white
code 5	brown, silver trim	10 x 24 grey plastic	dome head crimped	white
code 6	brown, silver trim	10 x 24 grey plastic	dome head crimped	cream
code 7	brown, silver trim	10 x 24 grey plastic	dome head rounded	cream

box types	notes
B2	large picture
B2	small picture
B4	lower case letteing
B4	upper case lettering
B5	none

values

all models £25

values are for mint models in mint boxes

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